The Importance of Christ

3 [Furthermore, or Finally,] My brothers and sisters, ·be full of joy [rejoice] in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it ·will help you to be more ready [^Lis a safeguard/protection for you]. ² ·Watch out for [Beware] those who do evil, ·who are like dogs [^Lbeware the dogs; ^Ca derogatory reference to Paul’s opponents], ·who demand to cut the body [^Lbeware the mutilation; ^Ca mocking reference to those who demand circumcision of Gentile believers]. ³ [^LFor] We are the ·ones who are truly circumcised [^L(true) circumcision]. We ·worship [serve] God ·through [or in] his Spirit, and ·our pride is [we boast/glory] in Christ Jesus. We do not put ·trust [reliance; confidence] in ·ourselves or anything we can do [human ability/effort; ^Tthe flesh], ⁴ although I might be able to put ·trust [reliance; confidence] in ·myself [human ability/effort; ^Tthe flesh]. If anyone thinks he has a reason to ·trust [rely; have confidence] in ·himself [human ability/effort; ^Tthe flesh], he should know that I have greater reason. ⁵ I was circumcised eight days after my birth [Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3]. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a ·Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews [or true Hebrew; Hebrew through and through; ^LHebrew of Hebrews]. With regard to the ·law of Moses [^Llaw], I was a Pharisee [^CPharisees strictly followed the OT law and expanded on it with many traditions]. ⁶ ·I was so enthusiastic [^LWith regard to (religious) zeal,] I persecuted the church. With regard to ·obedience to the law of Moses [^Lrighteousness based on the law] I was ·faultless [blameless]. ⁷ Those things were ·important [valuable; or assets] to me, but now I think they are ·worth nothing [or liabilities; ^La loss] because of Christ. ⁸ Not only those things, but I think that all things are ·worth nothing [or liabilities; ^La loss] ·compared with [or because of] the ·greatness [superior/supreme value] of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I ·know they are [consider them] ·worthless trash [garbage; refuse; excrement]. ·This allows me to have [^L…so that I may gain] Christ ⁹ and to ·belong to [be united with; ^Lbe found in] him. ·Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law [^L…not having my own righteousness from the law], but because ·I believed in Christ [of faith in Christ; or of the faithfulness of Christ]. This is the ·right relationship with [or righteousness of/from] God that comes through ·faith [or the faithfulness (of Christ)]. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and the power ·that raised him from the dead [^Lof his resurrection]. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death. ¹¹ ·Then I have hope that [^L…if somehow] I myself will ·be raised [reach/attain to the resurrection] from the dead.

Continuing Toward Our Goal

¹² ·I do not mean [^LNot] that I have already ·achieved [obtained; taken hold of] it or have already ·been perfected [become mature; or reached the goal]. But I keep ·trying [pressing forward; striving; pursuing] to ·take hold of that for which [or make it my own because] Christ ·took hold of me [or made me his own]. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not ·yet reached that goal [taken hold of it], but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the ·past [^Lthings that are behind] and ·straining toward [stretching/reaching forward to] what is ahead, ¹⁴ I keep ·trying to reach [pursuing; chasing] the goal and get the prize for which God called me ·to the life above [heavenward; ^Lupward] ·through [or in] Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ All of us who are ·spiritually mature [perfect; complete] should think this way, too. And if there are things you ·do not agree with [^Lthink differently about], God will ·make them clear [or reveal this] to you. ¹⁶ But we should ·continue following the truth [or live up to the standard] we already have.

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, ·all of you should try to follow my example [^Lbecome imitators of me] and ·to copy [^Lwatch closely; pay attention to] those who ·live [walk] the way we ·showed [modeled it for] you. ¹⁸ [^LFor] Many people ·live [walk] like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and ·it makes me cry to [^Lwith tears I] tell you about them now. ¹⁹ ·In the end, they will be destroyed [Their end/destiny is destruction]. ·They do whatever their bodies want [^LTheir god is their stomach/belly], ·they are proud of their shameful acts [^Ltheir glory is in their shame], and they think only about earthly things. ²⁰ But our ·homeland [or citizenship] is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. ²¹ By his power to ·rule [^Lsubject to himself] all things, he will ·change [transform; transfigure] our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body.