| Chapter 3 1
For the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To be writing the same to you is not,
indeed irksome for me, yet it is your security.
2 Beware of curs, beware of evil workers. Beware of the
maimcision,
3 for we are the circumcision who are offering divine
service in the spirit of God, and are glorying in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in
flesh.
4 And am I having confidence in flesh, also? If any other
one is presuming to have confidence in flesh, I rather:
5 in circumcision the eighth day, of the race of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, in relation to law, a Pharisee,
6 in relation to zeal, persecuting the ecclesia, in
relation to the righteousness which is in law, becoming blameless.
7 But things which were gain to me, these I have deemed a
forfeit because of Christ.
8 But, to be sure, I am also deeming all to be a forfeit
because of the superiority of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, because of Whom I
forfeited all, and am deeming it to be refuse, that I should be gaining Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having my righteousness,
which is of law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
from God for faith:
10 to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and
the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming to His death,
11 if somehow I should be attaining to the resurrection
that is out from among the dead.
12 Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected.
Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ
Jesus.
13 Brethren, not as yet am I reckoning myself to have
grasped, yet one thing -- forgetting, indeed, those things which are behind, yet
stretching out to those in front --
14 toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's
calling above in Christ Jesus.
15 Whoever, then, are mature, may be disposed to this,
and if in anything you are differently disposed, this also shall God reveal to you.
16 Moreover, in what we outstrip others, there is to be a
mutual disposition to be observing the elements by the same rule.
17 Become imitators together of me, brethren, and be
noting those who are walking thus, according as you have us for a model,
18 for many are walking, of whom I often told you, yet
now am lamenting also as I tell it, who are enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose consummation is destruction, whose god is their
bowels, and whose glory is in their shame, who to the terrestial are disposed.
20 For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which
we are awaiting a Saviour also, the Lord, Jesus Christ,
21 Who will transfigure the body of our humilation, to
conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even
to subject all to Himself. |