No Confidence in the Flesh

3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,p and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs,q those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision,r we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,s and who put no confidence in the flesh—4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.t

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcisedu on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,v of the tribe of Benjamin,w a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;x 6 as for zeal,y persecuting the church;z as for righteousness based on the law,a faultless.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider lossb for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowingc Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christd 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,e but that which is through faith ina Christ—the righteousnessf that comes from God on the basis of faith.g