Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Philippians 3:12 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 12. 12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Paul denies that he has already attained or become complete and presses on because Christ first took hold of him.
Read It With
- Philippians 3:12–14
Paul's denial that he has arrived controls the athletic image of pressing forward because Christ first took hold of him.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Paul prevents any claim of arrival: he has not attained resurrection completion, but he keeps pursuing because Christ first took hold of him.
What Remains True
Christian pursuit begins from Christ's prior grasp and remains honest about unfinished growth.
How It Can Shape Life
- Pursue the next faithful step without pretending completion or treating effort as the cause of Christ's acceptance.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Philippians 3:12–16 — Keep Pursuing the Goal Christ Has SetSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
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 3:12–16.
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 3:12–16.
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 3:12–16.
Open NET Philippians 3 ↗