Philippians 3–4

Chapter 3

The Goal of Life

¹Finally, my brethren, ^arejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

²Beware of the ^adogs, beware of the ^bevil workers, beware of the ¹false circumcision;

³for ^awe are the true ¹circumcision, who ^bworship in the Spirit of God and ^cglory in ^dChrist Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

⁴although ^aI myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:

^5acircumcised the eighth day, of the ^bnation of Israel, of the ^ctribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, ^da Pharisee;

⁶as to zeal, ^aa persecutor of the church; as to the ^brighteousness which is in the Law, found ^cblameless.

⁷But ^awhatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

⁸More than that, I count all things to be loss ¹in view of the surpassing value of ^2aknowing ^bChrist Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

⁹and may be found in Him, not having ^aa righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, ^bthe righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

¹⁰that I may ^aknow Him and ^bthe power of His resurrection and ^1cthe fellowship of His sufferings, being ^dconformed to His death;

¹¹¹in order that I may ^aattain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹²Not that I have already ^aobtained it or have already ^bbecome perfect, but I press on ¹so that I may ^clay hold of that ²for which also I ^dwas laid hold of by ^eChrist Jesus.

¹³Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: ^aforgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

¹⁴I ^apress on toward the goal for the prize of the ^bupward call of God in ^cChrist Jesus.

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are ^1aperfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a ^bdifferent attitude, ^cGod will reveal that also to you;

¹⁶however, let us keep ^1aliving by that same standard to which we have attained.

¹⁷Brethren, ^ajoin in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the ^bpattern you have in us.

¹⁸For ^amany walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even ^bweeping, that they are enemies of ^cthe cross of Christ,

¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^1aappetite, and whose ^bglory is in their shame, who ^cset their minds on earthly things.

²⁰For ^aour ¹citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly ^bwait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

²¹who will ^atransform ¹the body of our humble state into ^bconformity with ²the ^cbody of His glory, ^dby the exertion of the power that He has even to ^esubject all things to Himself.

Chapter 4

Think of Excellence

¹Therefore, my beloved brethren ¹whom I ^along to see, my joy and crown, in this way ^bstand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

²I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to ^1alive in harmony in the Lord.

³Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my ^afellow workers, whose ^bnames are in the book of life.

^4aRejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

⁵Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. ^aThe Lord is ¹near.

^6aBe anxious for nothing, but in everything by ^bprayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

⁷And ^athe peace of God, which surpasses all ¹comprehension, will ^bguard your hearts and your ^cminds in ^dChrist Jesus.

⁸Finally, brethren, ^awhatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ¹lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ²dwell on these things.

⁹The things you have learned and received and heard and seen ^ain me, practice these things, and ^bthe God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^ayou have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

¹¹Not that I speak ¹from want, for I have learned to be ^2acontent in whatever circumstances I am.

¹²I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^ahungry, both of having abundance and ^bsuffering need.

¹³I can do all things ¹through Him who ^astrengthens me.

¹⁴Nevertheless, you have done well to ^ashare with me in my affliction.

¹⁵You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the ^1afirst preaching of the gospel, after I left ^bMacedonia, no church ^cshared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;

¹⁶for even in ^aThessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

^17aNot that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the ¹profit which increases to your account.

¹⁸But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am ¹amply supplied, having received from ^aEpaphroditus ²what you have sent, ^3ba fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

¹⁹And ^amy God will supply ¹all your needs according to His ^briches in glory in Christ Jesus.

²⁰Now to ^aour God and Father ^bbe the glory ¹forever and ever. Amen.

²¹Greet every ¹saint in Christ Jesus. ^aThe brethren who are with me greet you.

^22aAll the ^1bsaints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

^23aThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ ^bbe with your spirit.