| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a protection for you. | 1So then, my brothers, keep on rejoicing in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you; indeed, it is for your safety. |
| 2Watch out for "dogs," watch out for evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. | 2Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilators! |
| 3For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh-- | 3For it is we who are the circumcision —we who worship in the Spirit of God and find our joy in the Messiah Jesus. We have not placed any confidence in the flesh, |
| 4although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: | 4although I could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he can place confidence in the flesh, I have more reason to think so. |
| 5circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; | 5Having been circumcised on the eighth day, I am of the nation of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As far as the Law is concerned, I was a Pharisee. |
| 6regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. | 6As for my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. As far as righteousness in the Law is concerned, I was blameless. |
| 7But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. | 7But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah. |
| 8More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ | 8What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Messiah Jesus, my Lord. It is because of him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish in order to gain the Messiah |
| 9and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ--the righteousness from God based on faith. | 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but one that comes through the faithfulness of the Messiah, the righteousness that comes from God and that depends on faith. |
| 10My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, | 10I want to know the Messiah —what his resurrection power is like and what it means to share in his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, |
| 11assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. | 11though I hope to experience the resurrection from the dead. |
| 12Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. | 12It's not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah Jesus. |
| 13Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, | 13Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, |
| 14I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. | 14I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus. |
| 15Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. | 15Therefore, those of us who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will show you how to think. |
| 16In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. | 16However, we should live up to what we have achieved so far. |
| 17Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. | 17Join together in imitating me, brothers, and pay close attention to those who live by the example we have set for you. |
| 18For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. | 18For I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of the Messiah. |
| 19Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, | 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things. |
| 20but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. | 20Our citizenship, however, is in heaven, and it is from there that we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. |
| 21He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself. | 21He will change our unassuming bodies and make them like his glorious body through the power that enables him to bring everything under his authority. |
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