Warning Against Evil Workers

¹ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you.

² Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.¹

1. This term is a wordplay on the Greek word “circumcision”

³ For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship¹ by the Spirit² of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh,

1. Or “who serve”
2. Or “in the Spirit”

Righteousness Through Christ

⁴ although I could have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more:

⁵ ⌞circumcised on the eighth day⌟¹, from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee,

1. Literally “with respect to circumcision it was on the eighth day”

⁶ according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless.

⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ.

⁸ ⌞More than that⌟¹, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them² dung, in order that I may gain Christ

1. Literally “but on the contrary”
2. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

⁹ and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ,¹ the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,²

1. Or “through Christ’s faithfulness”
2. Or “on the basis of his faithfulness”

¹⁰ so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

¹¹ if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already received this,¹ or have already been made perfect, but I press on if indeed I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.²

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
2. Some manuscripts have “Christ Jesus”

¹³ Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it.¹ But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead,

1. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Imitate Paul

¹⁵ Therefore as many as are perfect, ⌞let us hold this opinion⌟¹, and if you think anything differently, God will reveal this also to you.

1. Literally “let us think this”

¹⁶ Only to what we have attained, to the same hold on.

¹⁷ Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who walk in this way, just as you have us as an example.

¹⁸ For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,

¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things.

²⁰ For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

²¹ who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.