Being Acceptable to God
1 Finally, my dear friends, be glad that you belong to the Lord. It doesn't bother me to write the same things to you that I have written before. In fact, it is for your own good.
2 Watch out for those people who behave like dogs! They are evil and want to do more than just circumcise you. 3 But we are the ones who are truly circumcised, because we worship by the power of God's Spirit and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don't brag about what we have done, 4 although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else. 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old, and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses. 6 And I was so eager I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God.
7 But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. 8 Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, 11 so that somehow I also may be raised to life.
Running toward the Goal
12 I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. 13 My friends, I don't feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. 14 I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. 15 All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you. 16 But we must keep going in the direction that we are now headed.
17 My friends, I want you to follow my example and learn from others who closely follow the example we set for you. 18 I often warned you that many people are living as enemies of the cross of Christ. And now with tears in my eyes, I warn you again 19 that they are headed for hell! They worship their stomachs and brag about the disgusting things they do. All they can think about are the things of this world.
20 But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ 21 has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body.
1 Beidzot vēl, mani brāļi, priecājieties iekš Tā Kunga; to pašu jums rakstīt man nav par apgrūtinājumu, bet jums ir par stiprinājumu. 2 Sargaities no suņiem, sargaities no ļauniem strādniekiem, sargaities no sagraizīšanas, 3 jo apgraizīšana esam mēs, kas kalpo Dievam garā, lepojas ar Kristu Jēzu un neuzticas miesai; 4 lai gan es varētu arī uzticēties miesai. Ja kāds cits domā uzticēties miesai, es to varētu vēl vairāk; 5 astoņu dienu vecumā apgraizīts, no Israēla tautas, Benjamīna cilts, ebrejs no ebrejiem, bauslības lietās farizejs, 6 savā dedzībā draudzes vajātājs, taisnībā, ko bauslība paredz, nevainojams. 7 Bet, kas man bija ieguvums, to es Kristus dēļ esmu uzskatījis par zaudējumu. 8 Bet arī tagad es visu to uzskatu par zaudējumu, salīdzinot ar mana Kunga Kristus Jēzus atziņas nesalīdzināmo pārākumu, kura dēļ es visu to esmu zaudējis un uzskatu to par mēsliem, lai Kristu iegūtu 9 un atrastos Viņā; negūdams savu taisnību no bauslības, bet no Kristus ticības, taisnību no Dieva uz ticības pamata, 10 lai atzītu Viņu un Viņa augšāmcelšanās spēku un Viņa ciešanu sadraudzību; tā es pielīdzinos Viņa nāvei 11 cerībā sasniegt augšāmcelšanos no miroņiem. 12 Nevis, ka es to jau būtu saņēmis vai jau būtu pilnīgs, bet es dzenos, lai to satvertu, tāpat kā arī mani satvēris Kristus Jēzus. 13 Brāļi, es vēl nedomāju, ka pats būtu to satvēris, bet vienu gan - aizmirsdams to, kas aiz manis, stiepdamies pēc tā, kas priekšā, 14 es dzenos pretim mērķim, goda balvai - Dieva debesu aicinājumam Kristū Jēzū. 15 Visi, kas esam pilnīgi, turēsim tādas domas, un, ja jums kādā lietā ir citas domas, tad arī to Dievs jums atklās; 16 tikai, ko esam sasnieguši, pie tā turēsimies. 17 Brāļi, sekojiet manai priekšzīmei un raugaities uz tiem, kas tā dzīvo, ka mēs jums esam par paraugu. 18 Jo daudzi dzīvo, par kuriem es jums daudzkārt esmu sacījis un arī tagad raudādams saku, ka tie ir Kristus krusta ienaidnieki. 19 Viņu gals ir pazušana, viņu Dievs ir vēders, un kauns viņiem ir gods; viņu prāts vērsts uz zemes lietām. 20 Mūsu piederība ir debesīs, no kurienes mēs arī gaidām Pestītāju, Kungu Jēzu Kristu, 21 kas pārvērtīs mūsu zemības miesu, līdzīgu Savai apskaidrotai miesai, ar spēku, kurā Viņš arī spēj Sev pakļaut visas lietas.
