1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.[ † ]1 Thessalonians 5:16
2Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh![ † ]Psalms 22:16-20Galatians 5:15Revelation 22:15Psalms 119:115Romans 2:28 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—[ † ]Deuteronomy 30:6Romans 2:28-29Romans 9:6Galatians 6:15John 4:24Romans 7:6
4though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:[ † ]2 Corinthians 5:162 Corinthians 11:182 Corinthians 11:22-23 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;[ † ]Romans 11:12 Corinthians 11:22Acts 23:6 6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.[ † ]Acts 8:3Acts 22:4-5Acts 26:9-11
7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.[ † ]Matthew 13:44 8More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ[ † ]Isaiah 53:11Jeremiah 9:23John 17:31 Corinthians 2:2Ephesians 4:13 9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.[ † ]Romans 10:3Romans 1:17
10I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,[ † ]Ephesians 1:19-20Romans 6:3-52 Corinthians 1:51 Peter 4:13 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.[ † ]Acts 26:6-81 Corinthians 15:23Revelation 20:5
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.[ † ]1 Corinthians 9:241 Timothy 6:12-19Hebrews 12:23 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,[ † ]Luke 9:62Hebrews 6:1 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.[ † ]2 Timothy 4:7Hebrews 3:1
15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.[ † ]Matthew 5:481 Corinthians 2:6Galatians 5:10Hosea 6:3James 1:5 16Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.[ † ]Galatians 6:16Romans 12:16Romans 15:5
17Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.[ † ]1 Corinthians 4:161 Corinthians 11:1Philippians 4:9Titus 2:7-81 Peter 5:3 18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.[ † ]Galatians 1:7 19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.[ † ]2 Corinthians 11:151 Timothy 6:5Hosea 4:7Romans 8:5Colossians 3:2
20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,[ † ]Ephesians 2:6-19Philippians 1:27Colossians 3:1Hebrews 12:22Acts 1:111 Corinthians 1:7 21who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.[ † ]1 Corinthians 15:43-531 John 3:2Ephesians 1:191 Corinthians 15:28