# Philippians 3.5-6 **Book:** [Philippians](/codex/philippians/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 3. for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh: 4. though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more: > > **5. circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6. as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.** > > 7. Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:3-8, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 3. For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; 4. though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: > > **5. circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6. concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.** > > 7. However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. 8. Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:3-8, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 3. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: > > **5. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.** > > 7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:3-8, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 3. for we are the circumcision, who by the Spirit are serving God, and glorying in Christ Jesus, and in flesh having no trust, 4. though I also have [cause of] trust in flesh. If any other one doth think to have trust in flesh, I more; > > **5. circumcision on the eighth day! of the race of Israel! of the tribe of Benjamin! a Hebrew of Hebrews! according to law a Pharisee! 6. according to zeal persecuting the assembly! according to righteousness that is in law becoming blameless!** > > 7. But what things were to me gains, these I have counted, because of the Christ, loss; 8. yes, indeed, and I count all things to be loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom of the all things I suffered loss, and do count them to be refuse, that Christ I may gain, and be found in him, (Philippians 3:3-8, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** [Paul the Apostle](/codex/paul-the-apostle/), writing with Timothy named as co-sender (Philippians 1:1). - **Audience:** The [Church at Philippi](/codex/church-at-philippi/), in a Roman colony of Macedonia (Acts 16:12), founded on the mission narrated in Acts 16 and addressed with its bishops and deacons (Philippians 1:1). The church had sent Paul a gift by Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30, 4:18). The verses list the credentials introduced in Philippians 3:4, which Paul goes on to count as loss for Christ (Philippians 3:7-8). - **Location:** Written from imprisonment (Philippians 1:7, 1:13). The place is debated: Rome is the traditional identification, and Ephesus and Caesarea are proposed as alternatives. - **Time period:** Depends on the imprisonment: c. AD 60-62 if Rome, c. AD 57-59 if Caesarea, the mid-50s if Ephesus. ## Theological reading **The inherited credentials.** "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5, ASV). Circumcision on the eighth day followed the law (Genesis 17:12, Leviticus 12:3) and marked Paul as born within the covenant, not a convert circumcised as an adult. "Stock" is *genos* (G1085), descent. Paul names his tribe again in Romans 11:1, "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin" (Romans 11:1, ASV). Benjamin gave Israel its first king, "Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin" (Acts 13:21, ASV), whose name Paul bore (Acts 13:9). **"A Hebrew of Hebrews" is debated.** *Hebraios* (G1445) can stress pure Hebrew descent on both sides. It can also stress language and culture: in Acts 6:1 "Hebrews" and "Grecian Jews" are two groups within the Jerusalem church, apparently distinguished by language, and Paul addresses a Jerusalem crowd in Hebrew in Acts 21:40-22:2. On the second reading Paul means he was raised in a Hebrew-speaking, traditional family, not merely of Jewish descent. The two readings are compatible, and many take both to be in view. **The chosen credentials.** "as touching the law, a Pharisee" (Philippians 3:5, ASV): Paul says the same before the council, "I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees" (Acts 23:6, ASV), and before Agrippa, "after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee" (Acts 26:5, ASV). "as touching zeal, persecuting the church" (Philippians 3:6, ASV) uses [*zēlos*](/codex/g2205-zelos/) and [*ekklēsia*](/codex/g1577-ekklesia/). Paul describes the same zeal in Galatians: "being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers" (Galatians 1:14, ASV). Zeal for the law had a model in Phinehas, who "was jealous with my jealousy" (Numbers 25:11, ASV). The last item, blamelessness in "the righteousness which is in the law" ([*dikaiosynē*](/codex/g1343-dikaiosyne/), [*nomos*](/codex/g3551-nomos/)), sets up the contrast with the righteousness "from God by faith" in 3:9. ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._ - [G2205 - zelos](/codex/g2205-zelos/), *zelos*, Strong's G2205 - [G1343 - dikaiosyne](/codex/g1343-dikaiosyne/), *dikaiosyne*, Strong's G1343 - [G1577 - ekklesia](/codex/g1577-ekklesia/), *ekklesia*, Strong's G1577 - [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/), *nomos*, Strong's G3551 - [G1096 - ginomai](/codex/g1096-ginomai/), *ginomai*, Strong's G1096 ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Argument from the Resurrection](/codex/argument-from-the-resurrection/), via [Philippians 3.4-11](/codex/philippians-3-4-11/) - [Argument from Transformed Lives](/codex/argument-from-transformed-lives/), via [Philippians 3.5-7](/codex/philippians-3-5-7/) - [Cumulative Case for the Deity of Christ](/codex/cumulative-case-for-the-deity-of-christ/), via [Philippians 3.5](/codex/philippians-3-5/) - [Divine Jealousy Is Covenantal Zeal (Defeater)](/codex/divine-jealousy-is-covenantal-zeal-defeater/), via [Philippians 3.6](/codex/philippians-3-6/) - [Jews Do Not Need Jesus Objection Defeater](/codex/jews-do-not-need-jesus-objection-defeater/), via [Philippians 3.5](/codex/philippians-3-5/) - [Minimal Facts Argument](/codex/minimal-facts-argument/), via [Philippians 3.6](/codex/philippians-3-6/) **People:** - [Paul the Apostle](/codex/paul-the-apostle/), via [Philippians 3.5](/codex/philippians-3-5/) - [Saul](/codex/saul/), via [Philippians 3.5](/codex/philippians-3-5/) - [Simon the Zealot](/codex/simon-the-zealot/), via [Philippians 3.6](/codex/philippians-3-6/) **Lexicon:** - [G2205 - zelos](/codex/g2205-zelos/), via [Philippians 3.6](/codex/philippians-3-6/) - [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/), via [Philippians 3.5-9](/codex/philippians-3-5-9/) ## Notes _Your annotations._ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.