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Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

¹ Finally, my brothers,^{[a] (a)}rejoice in the Lord. ^(b)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for ^(c)the dogs, look out for ^(d)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For ^(e)we are the circumcision, ^(f)who worship ^(g)by the Spirit of God^[b] and ^(h)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (i)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (j)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(k)of the people of Israel, ^(l)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(m)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ⁽ⁿ⁾a Pharisee; ^6 (o)as to zeal, ^(p)a persecutor of the church; ^(q)as to righteousness under the law,^[c] blameless. ⁷ But ^(r)whatever gain I had, ^(s)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(t)the surpassing worth of ^(u)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(v)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(w)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(x)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (y)that I may know him and ^(z)the power of his resurrection, and ^(aa)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(ab)attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(ac)obtained this or ^(ad)am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(ae)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for ^(af)the prize of the upward ^(ag)call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are ^(ah)mature think this way, and if in anything ^(ai)you think otherwise, ^(aj)God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only ^(ak)let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, ^(al)join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk ^(am)according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For ^(an)many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you ^(ao)even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ^19 (ap)Their end is destruction, ^(aq)their god is their belly, and ^(ar)they glory in their shame, with ^(as)minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But ^(at)our citizenship is in heaven, and ^(au)from it we ^(av)await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform ^(aw)our lowly body ^(ax)to be like his glorious body, ^(ay)by the power that enables him even ^(az)to subject all things to himself.