Philippians 3:20-21

3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 3:21 who will transform these humble bodies of ours ¹  into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Philippians 3:2

3:2 Beware of the dogs, ²  beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! ³ 

Philippians 3:11-14

3:11 and so, somehow, ⁴  to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Keep Going Forward

3:12 Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. ⁵  3:13 Brothers and sisters, ⁶  I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: ⁷  Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, 3:14 with this goal in mind, ⁸  I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God ⁹  in Christ Jesus.

¹ tn Grk “transform the body of our humility.”

² sn Dogs is a figurative reference to false teachers whom Paul regards as just as filthy as dogs.

³ tn Grk “beware of the mutilation.”

⁴ tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.

⁵ tn Grk “that for which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” The passive has been translated as active in keeping with contemporary English style.

⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

⁷ tn Grk “But this one thing (I do).”

⁸ tn Grk “according to the goal.”

⁹ tn Grk “prize, namely, the heavenly calling of God.”