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Pauline Letters · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Philippians 3

Joy, partnership, humility, perseverance, and Christlike life from a prison letter.

New Testament

Philippians 3

1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.

2Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.

3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;

4though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:

5circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

6concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

7However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.

8Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death,

11if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

13Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before,

14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.

16Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind.

17Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.

18For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,

19whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

20For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Joy, partnership, humility, perseverance, and Christlike life from a prison letter. Read Philippians 3 within the complete Philippians overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Philippians 3

Philippians 3 contains 21 verses and about 473 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 21 closes: “who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include christ, things, brothers, same, beware, confidence. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Philippians 3

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Philippians 3:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer