Philippians
Chapter 3
1 Friends, be happy in God. Writing the same things to you is not hard for me and it keeps you safe.
2 Be careful of dogs, be careful of bad people, be careful of those who cut the body.
3 We are the people who serve God with our hearts, find joy in Jesus, and do not trust in our own power.
4 I could also trust in human ability. If anyone else thinks they can trust in human ability, I have even more reason to:
5 Circumcised on the eighth day, from Israel’s people, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews; and concerning the law, a Pharisee.
6 Eager to defend my beliefs, I attacked the church; but following the law’s rules, I was faultless.
7 The things that were valuable to me, I now consider worthless because of Christ.
8 Yes, I consider everything a loss compared to the great value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him, I’ve lost all things and see them as trash, so that I can have Christ.
9 Be in unity with him, not with my own goodness from following the law, but with the goodness that comes through faith in Christ, the goodness from God that relies on faith.
10 So I can know him, the power of his rising again, sharing in his sufferings, and becoming like him in his death.
11 I hope somehow to be raised to life after death.
12 It’s not like I’ve already succeeded or am already perfect, but I keep trying to reach what Jesus Christ chose me for.
13 Friends, I don’t consider that I have fully understood everything. But I do one thing: I forget what is behind and strive for what is ahead.
14 I strive for the goal to win the prize that God calls us to through Christ Jesus.
15 Let’s think this way, those of us who are mature. And if you think differently about something, God will make that clear to you.
16 Let’s follow the same rules and think the same way for what we’ve already achieved.
17 Friends, follow my example together, and notice those who live as you have us as a model.
18 Many people live in a way I often warned you about, and now I say it crying, they are against Christ’s cross.
19 Their end is ruin, their god is their appetite, they take pride in what should bring shame, and they focus on worldly things.
20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we eagerly await our Savior, Jesus Christ.
21 Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, using his power to bring everything under his control.