1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in our Lord. To write these again and again to you, is not irksome to me, because they make you cautious. 2 Beware of dogs; beware of evil doers; beware of the clipped in flesh.3 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Jesus the Messiah, and place no reliance on the flesh.
4 And yet I might place reliance on the flesh. For, if any one thinketh that his reliance should be on the flesh, I might more than he. 5 Circumcised when eight days old; of the stock of Israel; of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew, descendant of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; and as to the righteousness of the law, I was without fault.7 But these things, which had been my excellence, I have accounted a detriment, because of the Messiah.8 8 And now also I account them all a detriment, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah my Lord; for the sake of whom, I have parted with all things, and have accounted as dung, that I might gain the Messiah,
9 and be found in him; since my righteousness is not that from the law, but that which is from faith in the Messiah, that is, the righteousness which is from God; 10 that thereby I might know Jesus, and the efficacy of his resurrection; and might participate in his sufferings, and be assimilated to his death:11 if so be, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.12 Not as though I had already taken , or were already complete; but I run , if so I may take that, for which Jesus the Messiah took me. 13 My brethren, I do not consider myself, as having taken . But one thing I know, that I forget the things behind me, and reach for the things before me; 14 14 and I run straight for the goal, that I may obtain the of victory of the call of God from on high, by Jesus the Messiah.
15 Therefore let those who are perfect, have these views; and if ye differently view any thing, God will reveal that also to you.16 Nevertheless, that we may attain to this, let us proceed on in one path, and with one consent.
17 Be like me, my brethren; and contemplate them, who walk after the pattern ye have seen in us.18 For there are many who walk otherwise; of whom I have often told you, and I now tell you, with weeping, that they are adversaries of the cross of the Messiah;19 whose end is destruction; whose god is their belly, and their glory their shame; whose thoughts are on things of the earth.20 But our concern is with heaven; and from thence we expect our Vivifier, our Lord, Jesus the Messiah;21 who will change the body of our abasement, that it may have the likeness of the body of his glory, according to his great power, whereby all things are made subject to him.
