Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. 2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. 3For we are the circumcision, who worship Allah in the Spirit, and rejoice in al-Masih ‘Isa, and have no confidence in the flesh; 4though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Binyamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the Taurat, a Pharisee; 6concerning zeal, persecuting the ummah; concerning the righteousness required by the Taurat’s shariah, blameless.
7However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for al-Masih. 8Yes most assuredly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of al-Masih ‘Isa, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain al-Masih 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is from observing shariah, but that which is through faith in al-Masih, the righteousness which is from Allah by faith; 10that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death; 11if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by al-Masih ‘Isa.
13Brothers, I do not regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of Allah in al-Masih ‘Isa. 15Let us therefore, as many as are mature, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, Allah will also reveal that to you. 16Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. 17Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. 18For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of al-Masih, 19whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. 20For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Saviour, the Lord ‘Isaal-Masih; 21who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.