Philippians 3 – NIRV & CCB

New International Reader’s Version

Philippians 3:1-21

Do Not Trust in Who You Are or What You Can Do

1Further, my brothers and sisters, be joyful because you belong to the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write about some important matters to you again. If you know about them, you will have a safe path to follow. 2Watch out for those dogs. They are people who do evil things. When they circumcise, it is nothing more than a useless cutting of the body. 3But we have been truly circumcised. We serve God by the power of his Spirit. We boast about what Christ Jesus has done. We don’t put our trust in who we are or what we can do. 4I have many reasons to trust in who I am and what I have done. Someone else may think they have reasons to trust in these things. But I have even more.

5I was circumcised on the eighth day. I am part of the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am a pure Hebrew. As far as the law is concerned, I am a Pharisee. 6As far as being committed is concerned, I opposed and attacked the church. As far as keeping the law is concerned, I kept it perfectly.

7I thought things like that were really something great. But now I consider them to be nothing because of Christ. 8Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is worth much more than anything else. Because of him I have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can know Christ better. 9I want to be joined to him. Being right with God does not come from my obeying the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God because of faith. 10I want to know Christ better. Yes, I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to join him in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. 11Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.

12I have not yet received all these things. I have not yet reached my goal. Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal. So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it. 13Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. 14I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.

Following Paul’s Example

15So all of us who are grown up in the faith should see things this way. Maybe you think differently about something. But God will make it clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already reached.

17Brothers and sisters, join together in following my example. You have us as a model. So pay close attention to those who live as we do. 18I have told you these things many times before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes. Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. 19The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things. 20But we are citizens of heaven. And we can hardly wait for a Savior from there. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He has the power to bring everything under his control. By his power he will change our earthly bodies. They will become like his glorious body.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

腓立比书 3:1-21

认识基督最宝贵

1弟兄姊妹,你们要靠主喜乐!我再把这些事写给你们,对我来说并不麻烦,对你们却有好处。 2你们要提防那些犬类,那些作恶的人,那些鼓吹必须受割礼3:2 割礼”参见创世记17章;希腊文用夸张的字眼描述割礼,有讽刺之意。才能得救的人。 3因为真正受割礼的人是我们这些靠着上帝的灵敬拜、以基督耶稣为荣、不倚靠自身条件的人。 4其实我也可以靠自身的条件。如果别人觉得可以靠自身的条件,我更可以。 5我出生后第八天就受了割礼,我是以色列人,属于便雅悯支派,是地地道道的希伯来人。论守律法,我是法利赛人; 6论热心,我曾经迫害教会;论律法要求的义,我是无可指责的。 7但是为了基督,我从前以为有价值的,现在认为毫无价值。 8不但如此,我看万事都毫无价值,因为认识我主基督耶稣最宝贵。我为祂失去了一切,我把失去的一切视为垃圾,好得到基督, 9与祂联合。我成为义人不是因为遵行律法,而是因为信靠基督。这义从上帝而来,以信为基础。 10我渴望认识基督和祂复活的大能,与祂一同受苦,甚至到死的地步3:10 甚至到死的地步”或译“效法祂的死”。11这样我无论如何都可以从死里复活。

直奔标竿

12这并不是说我已经得到了或者纯全了,我还要竭力追求,或者可以达到基督耶稣要我达到的目标。 13弟兄姊妹,我并非以为自己已经得到了,我只专注一件事,就是忘记背后,努力向前, 14直奔目标,要赢得上帝借着基督耶稣从天上呼召我去得的奖赏。 15我们中间成熟的基督徒都应该有这样的看法。即使你们在什么事上看法不同,上帝也必让你们明白。 16然而,我们长进到什么程度,就照着什么程度去行。

17弟兄姊妹,你们要一同效法我,也要向那些以我们为榜样的人学习。 18我已经多次告诉你们,现在又流着泪提醒你们:有许多人行事为人与基督的十字架为敌。 19他们的神就是自己的肚腹,他们以自己的羞耻为荣,只想着地上的事,他们的结局是灭亡。 20我们却是天上的国民,殷切等候从天降临的救主,就是主耶稣基督。 21那时,祂要以降服万物的大能将我们这卑贱的躯体改变成像祂那样荣耀的身体。