1 Verder, my broeders, verbly julle in die Here. Dit is vir my nie lastig om dieselfde dinge aan julle te skrywe nie, en dit gee julle sekerheid.

2 Let op die honde; let op die slegte arbeiders; let op die versnyding.

3 Want ons is die besnydenis, ons wat God in die Gees dien en in Christus Jesus roem en nie op die vlees vertrou nie;

4 alhoewel ek rede het om ook te vertrou op die vlees. As iemand anders meen dat hy op die vlees kan vertrou, ek nog meer.

5 Ek is besny op die agtste dag, uit die geslag van Israel, uit die stam van Benjamin, 'n Hebreër uit die Hebreërs; wat die wet betref, 'n Fariseër;

6 wat ywer betref, 'n vervolger van die gemeente; wat die geregtigheid in die wet betref, onberispelik.

7 Maar wat vir my wins was, dit het ek om Christus wil skade geag.

8 Ja waarlik, ek ag ook alles skade om die uitnemendheid van die kennis van Christus Jesus, my Here, ter wille van wie ek alles prysgegee het en as drek beskou, om Christus as wins te verkry

9 en in Hom gevind te word, nie met my geregtigheid wat uit die wet is nie, maar met die wat deur die geloof in Christus is, die geregtigheid wat uit God is deur die geloof;

10 sodat ek Hom kan ken en die krag van sy opstanding en die gemeenskap aan sy lyde terwyl ek aan sy dood gelykvormig word,

11 of ek miskien die opstanding uit die dode kan bereik.

12 Nie dat ek dit al verkry het of al volmaak is nie, maar ek jaag daarna of ek dit ook kan gryp, omdat ek ook deur Christus Jesus gegryp is.

13 Broeders, ek reken nie dat ek dit self gegryp het nie.

14 Maar een ding: ek vergeet die dinge wat agter is en strek my uit na wat voor is, en jaag na die doel om die prys te verkry van die hoë roeping van God in Christus Jesus.

15 Laat ons almal dan wat volmaak is, so gesind wees; en as julle anders gesind is, sal God dit ook aan julle openbaar.

16 Maar wat ons reeds bereik het -- laat ons volgens dieselfde reël wandel, laat ons eensgesind wees.

17 Wees ook my navolgers, broeders, en let op die wat so wandel soos julle ons tot voorbeeld het.

18 Want baie -- van wie ek julle dit dikwels gesê het en nou ook onder trane sê -- wandel as vyande van die kruis van Christus.

19 Hulle einde is die verderf, hulle god is die buik en hulle eer is in hulle skande; hulle bedink aardse dinge.

20 Want ons burgerskap is in die hemele, van waar ons ook as Verlosser verwag die Here Jesus Christus,

21 wat ons vernederde liggaam van gedaante sal verander, om gelykvormig te word aan sy verheerlikte liggaam volgens die werking waardeur Hy ook alles aan Homself kan onderwerp.

1 For the rest, my brothers, be glad in the Lord. Writing the same things to you is no trouble to me, and for you it is safe.

2 Be on the watch against dogs, against the workers of evil, against those of the circumcision:

3 For we are the circumcision, who give worship to God and have glory in Jesus Christ, and have no faith in the flesh:

4 Even though I myself might have faith in the flesh: if any other man has reason to have faith in the flesh, I have more:

5 Being given circumcision on the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in relation to the law, a Pharisee:

6 In bitter hate I was cruel to the church; I kept all the righteousness of the law to the last detail.

7 But those things which were profit to me, I gave up for Christ.

8 Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward,

9 And be seen in him, not having my righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may have knowledge of him, and of the power of his coming back from the dead, and a part with him in his pains, becoming like him in his death;

11 If in any way I may have the reward of life from the dead.

12 Not as if I had even now got the reward or been made complete: but I go on in the hope that I may come to the knowledge of that for which I was made the servant of Christ Jesus.

13 Brothers, it is clear to me that I have not come to that knowledge; but one thing I do, letting go those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before,

14 I go forward to the mark, even the reward of the high purpose of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Then let us all, who have come to full growth, be of this mind: and if in anything you are of a different mind, even this will God make clear to you:

16 Only, as far as we have got, let us be guided by the same rule.

17 Brothers, take me as your example, and take note of those who are walking after the example we have given.

18 For there are those, of whom I have given you word before, and do so now with sorrow, who are haters of the cross of Christ;

19 Whose end is destruction, whose god is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, whose minds are fixed on the things of the earth.

20 For our country is in heaven; from where the Saviour for whom we are waiting will come, even the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 By whom this poor body of ours will be changed into the image of the body of his glory, in the measure of the working by which he is able to put all things under himself.