Watch out
Further, my brothers and sisters, be glad in the Lord. It's no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it's a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. Because it's we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by His Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh —
Further, my brothers and sisters, be glad in the Lord. It's no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it's a safeguard for you.
Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
Because it's we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by His Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh —
If anyone has grounds, I do
though I myself have grounds for such confidence. If anyone else thinks they've got grounds to put confidence in the flesh, I've got more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As for the law, a Pharisee. As for zeal, persecuting the church. As for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me, I now count as loss for the sake of Christ. What's more, I count everything as loss compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I've lost everything. I count it as rubbish, so I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but the one that comes through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of His resurrection and to share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
though I myself have grounds for such confidence. If anyone else thinks they've got grounds to put confidence in the flesh, I've got more:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As for the law, a Pharisee.
As for zeal, persecuting the church. As for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
But whatever were gains to me, I now count as loss for the sake of Christ.
What's more, I count everything as loss compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I've lost everything. I count it as rubbish, so I may gain Christ
and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but the one that comes through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of His resurrection and to share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death,
and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Straining toward what's ahead
Not that I've already got hold of all this, or have already arrived, but I press on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for. Brothers and sisters, I don't reckon I've taken hold of it yet. But one thing I do: forgetting what's behind and straining toward what's ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should think this way. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we've already reached.
Not that I've already got hold of all this, or have already arrived, but I press on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for.
Brothers and sisters, I don't reckon I've taken hold of it yet. But one thing I do: forgetting what's behind and straining toward what's ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us, then, who are mature should think this way. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
Only let us live up to what we've already reached.
Citizens of somewhere else
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. Because, as I've often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we're waiting eagerly for a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so they'll be like His glorious body.
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.
Because, as I've often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we're waiting eagerly for a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so they'll be like His glorious body.