Philippians 2:19-3:21

New International Version

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy^(A) to you soon,^(B) that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him,^(C) who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests,^(D) not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father^(E) he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³ I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.^{(F) 24} And I am confident^(G) in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

²⁵ But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker^(H) and fellow soldier,^(I) who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.^{(J) 26} For he longs for all of you^(K) and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,^(L) so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ²⁹ So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^{(M) 30} because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.^(N)

No Confidence in the Flesh

3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,^(O) and it is a safeguard for you. ² Watch out for those dogs,^(P) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. ³ For it is we who are the circumcision,^(Q) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,^(R) and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reasons for such confidence.^(S)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised^(T) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(U) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(V) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;^{(W) 6} as for zeal,^(X) persecuting the church;^(Y) as for righteousness based on the law,^(Z) faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss^(AA) for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing^(AB) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^{(AC) 9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(AD) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(AE) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^{(AF) 10} I want to know^(AG) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,^(AH) becoming like him in his death,^{(AI) 11} and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection^(AJ) from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(AK) but I press on to take hold^(AL) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^{(AM) 13} Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(AN) and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on^(AO) toward the goal to win the prize^(AP) for which God has called^(AQ) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature^(AR) should take such a view of things.^(AS) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^{(AT) 16} Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

¹⁷ Join together in following my example,^(AU) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.^{(AV) 18} For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,^(AW) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.^{(AX) 19} Their destiny^(AY) is destruction, their god is their stomach,^(AZ) and their glory is in their shame.^(BA) Their mind is set on earthly things.^{(BB) 20} But our citizenship^(BC) is in heaven.^(BD) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,^{(BE) 21} who, by the power^(BF) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies^(BG) so that they will be like his glorious body.^(BH)