Study Desk

No Confidence in the Flesh

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,^(a) and it is a safeguard for you.

Watch out for those dogs,^(b) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.

For it is we who are the circumcision,^(c) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,^(d) and who put no confidence in the flesh—

though I myself have reasons for such confidence.^(e) If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

circumcised^(f) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(g) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(h) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;⁽ⁱ⁾

as for zeal,^(j) persecuting the church;^(k) as for righteousness based on the law,^(l) faultless.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss^(m) for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing⁽ⁿ⁾ Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^(o)

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(p) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(q) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^(r)

I want to know^(s) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,^(t) becoming like him in his death,^(u)

and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection^(v) from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(w) but I press on to take hold^(x) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^(y)

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(z) and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on^(aa) toward the goal to win the prize^(ab) for which God has called^(ac) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us, then, who are mature^(ad) should take such a view of things.^(ae) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^(af)

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Join together in following my example,^(ag) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.^(ah)

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,^(ai) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.^(aj)

Their destiny^(ak) is destruction, their god is their stomach,^(al) and their glory is in their shame.^(am) Their mind is set on earthly things.^(an)

But our citizenship^(ao) is in heaven.^(ap) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,^(aq)

who, by the power^(ar) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies^(as) so that they will be like his glorious body.^(at)