Open English Translation PHP Chapter 3

3 So continuing, dear brothers and sisters, be happy in the master. I’m not against writing the same things to you all again because it will keep you safe. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evil workers, those who say you must be circumcised,[fn] 3 because we are the ‘circumcised’ ones—those of us with God’s spirit and who worship and boast in Messiah Yeshua. We don’t trust in the physical dimension, 4 although I do have confidence even in the physical. If anyone thinks they are more qualified in terms of physical attributes, I am more so: 5 [ref]I was circumcised as a baby on the eighth day, I’m a descendent of Israel from the tribe of Benyamin, I’m more ‘Hebrew’ than most Hebrews, obeyed the law as member of the Pharisee party, 6 [ref]zealously persecuted assembled believers, and without fault in terms of obeying the law. 7 However, all of those things which were considered advantages, now because of Messiah I consider them disadvantages. 8 In fact, I consider everything to be a loss to me because knowing Messiah Yeshua, my master, is superior. It’s because of him that I discard everything else, considering it all to be rubbish so that I can gain Messiah 9 and will be found in him. I don’t gain my own righteousness by means of the law, but the righteousness that comes through faith in Messiah—God’s righteousness which depends on faith. 10 I want to know him and the power that brought him back to life, and to join with him in his sufferings, even to be conformed to his death, 11 if somehow I can also be given life after death.

12 I haven’t already received that, or already reached perfection, but I’m running hard to try to grab it, in the same way that I was grabbed by Messiah Yeshua. 13 Brothers and sisters, I’m not under the illusion that I’ve already grasped it, but I do do this one thing: forgetting what’s behind me, and taking long strides towards what’s ahead of me, 14 I’m running hard toward the prize of being called up to heaven by God through Messiah Yeshua.

15 Those of us who’re mature should think that way, and if you don’t yet, then God will reveal everything to you, 16 however, whatever we’ve already attained, that should be held onto.

17 [ref]Brothers and sisters, become imitators of me, as well as watching others that have walked a similar path and can be examples for all of you. 18 As I’ve often told you before and now say it again with tears, there are many who are against the stake of the messiah 19 and their end is destruction. Their god is their belly, and they take pride in their shame—they’re only thinking about earthly things. 20 For us, our citizenship is in heaven and we’re waiting for our saviour to return from there—the master Yeshua Messiah—21 who will take these embarrassing bodies of ours and make them similar to his resurrected body—he’s capable of doing that and to put everything under his control.