BRS.PHILIPPIANS.03

1 And now, my brothers and sisters, be filled with joy in the Master. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again. I want to be sure that you are prepared. 2 Be careful of the dogs—those evil men whose work does only harm. They want to cut and mutilate everyone who isn’t circumcised. 3 But we are the ones who have the true circumcision—we who worship Alahim through His Spirit. We don’t trust in our flesh or anything we can do. We take pride only in MESSIAH YAHUSHA. 4 Even if I am able to trust in my flesh, still I don’t do it. If anyone else thinks they have a reason to trust in their flesh, they should know that I have a greater reason for doing so. 5 I was circumcised on the eighth day after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the Tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Jew, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and so were my parents. The Old Torah Law was very important to me. That is why I became a Pharisee. 6 I was so eager to defend my religion that I persecuted the Assembly. And no one could find fault with the way I obeyed the old Torah Law of Moses.

7 At one time, all these things were important to me. But because of YAHUSHA MESSIAH, I decided that they are worth nothing. 8 Not only these things, but now I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing MESSIAH YAHUSHA my Master. Because of Him, I lost and suffered all these things, and now I know that they are all worthless trash. All I want now is YAHUSHA. 9 I want to belong to Him. In YAHUSHA I am right with Alahim, but my being right does not come from following the old Torah Law. It comes from Alahim through trusting-belief. Alahim uses my trusting-belief in YAHUSHA MESSIAH to make me right with him. 10 All I want is to know YAHUSHA and the power that raised Him from the dead. I want to share in His sufferings and be like Him even in His death. 11 Then there is hope that I myself will somehow be raised from death.

12 I don’t mean that I am exactly what Alahim wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what MESSIAH YAHUSHA wants me to do. It is the reason He made me His. 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. 14 I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because Alahim has called me through MESSIAH YAHUSHA.

15 All of us who have grown to be spiritually mature should think this way too. And if there is any of this that you don’t agree with, Alahim will make it clear to you. 16 But we should continue following the truth we already have.

17 Brothers and sisters, join together in following my example. Also, learn by watching those who are living the way we showed you. 18 There are many who live like enemies of the Torture Stake of YAHUSHA. I have often told you about them. And it makes me cry to tell you about them now. 19 The way they live is leading them to destruction. They have replaced YAHUSHA with their own desires. They do shameful things, and they are proud of what they do. They think only about earthly things. 20 But the government that rules us is in heaven. We are waiting for our Deliverer, the Master YAHUSHA MESSIAH, to come from there. 21 He will change our humble, lowly bodies and make them like His own glorious body. YAHUSHA can do this by His power, with which he can rule everything.

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