Section 10 of 163:1–11Philippians

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King James VersionPhilippians 3:1–11

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.

Scripture text: King James Version, Standardized 1769 text. Public domain in the United States.About this Bible text

Philippians 3:1–11

Counting Every Status Gain as Loss Beside Christ

Paul dumps his own Jewish résumé as self-confidence, not as a slur.

He tells them to rejoice in the Lord and to watch out for those who push fleshly confidence. He then lists his own credentials: circumcised the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee as to the law, a zealot who persecuted the church, blameless as to legal righteousness. Those are his gains, and he counts them loss for the sake of Christ.

The status dump is Paul's own Jewish identity used as refused self-confidence. It does not authorize antisemitism, contempt for Jewish practice, or treating Jewish people as the problem. He wants to be found in Christ, having the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ, knowing him, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.

How this should shape us

Name the résumé you actually trust — family, education, church role, moral record — and refuse to rest there. Do not turn Paul's own story into contempt for Jews or for the tradition that formed him.

Teach it back

Explain Philippians 3:1–11 in your own words. State its main movement, why it appears here, and one boundary on application.

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Go deeper

The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.

Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties

Does pisteōs Christou mean faith in Christ or Christ's faithfulness?

Faith in Christ

Why it fits: The parallel 'on the basis of faith' and Paul's contrast with personal achievement favor the believer's reliance on Christ.

Difficulty: The Greek genitive itself can bear more than one relation.

Faithfulness of Christ

Why it fits: Pauline theology elsewhere can emphasize Christ's faithful obedience as the ground of salvation.

Difficulty: That theological truth does not by itself decide this construction, and the following faith phrase becomes harder to explain.

Best judgment: 'Faith in Christ' is probable in this sentence, while Christ's faithfulness remains a legitimate canonical truth rather than the most secure translation of this genitive.

How certain? probable

Why does Paul say 'if by any means' in v. 11?

Uncertainty about participating in resurrection

Why it fits: The phrase can sound tentative and underscores that the goal is not yet possessed.

Difficulty: Paul elsewhere expresses strong resurrection hope and immediately stresses unfinished pursuit rather than despair.

Humble, costly orientation toward the goal

Why it fits: The phrase fits Paul's refusal to presume on status and his path through suffering toward resurrection.

Difficulty: It should not be emptied of all real contingency.

Best judgment: The phrase expresses humble, not-yet attainment through whatever suffering lies ahead; it should not be turned into either arrogant certainty or a claim that Paul has no resurrection hope.

How certain? probable

Research trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

Supports: The KJV wording and immediate English context for Philippians 3:1–11.

eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, Philippians 3; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Supports: The critically edited Greek wording and punctuation used as the base text for this passage.

Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Phil.txt, Philippians 3, verses within Philippians 3:1–11.

NET Bible — Philippians with translators' notes

Supports: Material English translation choices, syntax notes, and textual variants identified for this passage.

NET Bible, Philippians 3, translator and textual notes attached to the verses in Philippians 3:1–11.

Philippians: A Commentary

Supports: Passage structure, historical setting, Greek analysis, and interpretive alternatives tested against the primary text.

Paul A. Holloway, Philippians: A Commentary (Hermeneia), pp. 147–170.

STEP Bible Data

Supports: A cross-check of the Greek forms and reasonable lexical range for words surfaced to readers.

STEP Bible Data repository, Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Greek lexical records, Philippians 3, verses within Philippians 3:1–11.

Sources for This Section

These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.

Biblical text

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society

USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.

Supports: The KJV wording and immediate English context for Philippians 3:1–11.

Exact location: eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, Philippians 3; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.

Open source ↗

Greek textual evidence

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos

Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010

Supports: The critically edited Greek wording and punctuation used as the base text for this passage.

Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Phil.txt, Philippians 3, verses within Philippians 3:1–11.

Open the Philippians Greek text file ↗

Translation and textual notes

NET Bible — Philippians with translators' notes

Biblical Studies Press

Biblical Studies Press, digital edition accessed 2026

Supports: Material English translation choices, syntax notes, and textual variants identified for this passage.

Exact location: NET Bible, Philippians 3, translator and textual notes attached to the verses in Philippians 3:1–11.

Open NET Philippians 3 ↗

A major interpretive source

Philippians: A Commentary

Paul A. Holloway

Fortress Press, Hermeneia, 2017

Supports: Passage structure, historical setting, Greek analysis, and interpretive alternatives tested against the primary text.

Exact location: Paul A. Holloway, Philippians: A Commentary (Hermeneia), pp. 147–170.

Open the book record ↗

Lexical and grammatical evidence

STEP Bible Data

Tyndale House Cambridge

Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026

Supports: A cross-check of the Greek forms and reasonable lexical range for words surfaced to readers.

Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Greek lexical records, Philippians 3, verses within Philippians 3:1–11.