Philippians 3:11 kjv
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Philippians 3:11 nkjv
if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:11 niv
and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:11 esv
that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:11 nlt
so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Philippians 3 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Phil 3:10 | ...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and participate in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death... | Immediate goal: Experiential knowledge and union with Christ |
| Rom 8:11 | If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit... | The Spirit's power ensures bodily resurrection for believers |
| 1 Cor 15:20-23 | But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. | Christ's resurrection guarantees believer's resurrection |
| 1 Cor 15:42-44 | So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable... | Nature of the transformed resurrected body |
| 1 Cor 15:52-57 | ...at the last trumpet...the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable... | Timing and transformation of the resurrection for believers |
| Rom 8:17 | ...heirs with God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. | Suffering with Christ leads to future glory and resurrection |
| 2 Tim 2:11-12 | If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him... | Union with Christ in death, life, and future reign |
| 1 Pet 1:3-4 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... | Our living hope is founded on Christ's resurrection |
| Jn 5:28-29 | ...all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. | Distinction between two resurrections for humanity |
| Rev 20:4-6 | ...they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. | "First resurrection" for believers leading to blessing and reign |
| Eph 1:19-20 | ...power toward us who believe...according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead... | God's immense power demonstrated in Christ's resurrection applies to believers |
| Col 2:12 | ...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. | Spiritual resurrection now foreshadows future physical one |
| Col 3:1-4 | If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God... | Living a life aligned with our present spiritual resurrection |
| Rom 6:5 | For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. | Assurance of a future resurrection in likeness to Christ |
| Acts 23:6 | "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial." | Paul's core conviction and Jewish hope in resurrection |
| Heb 11:35 | Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. | Old Testament faithful looked to a superior resurrection |
| Isa 26:19 | Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise! You who dwell in the dust, awake and shout for joy! | Prophetic promise of the dead rising |
| Dan 12:2-3 | And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | Old Testament prophecy of distinct resurrections |
| Phil 1:21 | For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. | Death is a transition to closer communion with Christ |
| Rom 8:23 | ...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. | Believers long for the physical redemption of their bodies |
| Titus 2:13 | ...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ... | The hope of Christ's return is tied to the resurrection |
Philippians 3 verses
Philippians 3 11 Meaning
Philippians 3:11 articulates Paul's profound yearning to attain the resurrection from the dead. Following his passionate commitment to intimately know Christ, experience the power of His resurrection, and share in His sufferings (Phil 3:10), this verse presents the supreme culmination of that spiritual journey: to fully realize and participate in the glorious eschatological resurrection that believers await. It signifies an intense spiritual ambition and diligent striving, not a doubt concerning his ultimate salvation, but a fervent desire to wholly participate in Christ's triumphant emergence from death, culminating in glorious, eternal life with Him.
Philippians 3 11 Context
Philippians 3 is a pivotal chapter where Paul contrasts his past, impeccably righteous Jewish heritage and legalistic striving with his newfound, exclusive reliance on Christ. He launches a forceful warning against false teachers, the Judaizers, whom he identifies as "dogs," "evil workers," and "mutilators" (Phil 3:2), who urged Gentile believers to adhere to circumcision and Mosaic Law for salvation. Paul demolishes their claims by enumerating his own extensive Jewish credentials—lineage, zeal, blameless law-keeping (Phil 3:4-6)—only to then declare all of it as "loss" and "rubbish" (σκύβαλα, skybala) compared to the supreme value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Phil 3:7-8). This radical re-evaluation drives his current spiritual ambition: to gain Christ, to be found in Him, and to deeply experience His righteousness (Phil 3:9). This pursuit continues into Phil 3:10, expressing a desire to know the power of His resurrection and fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Verse 11 naturally follows as the ultimate, desired outcome of this profound union and pursuit: the attainment of the full and glorious resurrection, completing his journey with Christ.
Philippians 3 11 Word analysis
- if somehow (εἴ πως, ei pōs): This conditional particle expresses an intense desire and earnest striving, rather than doubt in the eventual outcome of salvation. It conveys a sense of "if by any means" or "if possibly, by God's help." It highlights the arduous nature of the spiritual journey and Paul's fervent aspiration and persistent effort, dependent on God's enabling grace to achieve this ultimate goal.
- I may attain (καταντήσω, katantēsō): A future active subjunctive verb meaning "to arrive at," "to reach," or "to come to." It implies achieving a specific destination or fulfilling a significant goal. Paul frequently uses this verb for reaching a literal place or for achieving a desired spiritual state, emphasizing the intention and the effort involved in reaching the spiritual objective.
- to the resurrection (εἰς τὴν ἐξανάστασιν, eis tēn exanastasin):
- εἰς (eis): "unto," "into," or "for," marking the clear goal or ultimate destination of Paul's profound aspiration.
- τὴν (tēn): The definite article "the," denoting a particular, specific resurrection, not just any resurrection.
- ἐξανάστασιν (exanastasin): A highly significant and rare Greek compound word, appearing only here in the New Testament. It is formed from ἐκ (ek, "out from") and ἀνάστασις (anastasis, "resurrection," literally "a standing up"). While anastasis generally refers to resurrection, the prefix ex- intensifies the notion of "out from," suggesting a unique and emphatic "resurrection out from the dead." Many scholars interpret this as referring to a distinct resurrection for believers—"the resurrection of the righteous"—often linked to the "first resurrection" (Rev 20:4-6), setting them apart from the general resurrection of all. It stresses the glorious and victorious emergence.
- from the dead (τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν, tēn ek nekrōn):
- τὴν (tēn): The definite article again, linking this phrase intrinsically to exanastasin, forming a singular, precise concept of resurrection.
- ἐκ (ek): "out of" or "from," serving to reinforce the idea of a triumphant emergence, a separation from the realm or condition of death.
- νεκρῶν (nekrōn): The genitive plural of "dead" (νεκρός, nekros), referring collectively to those who are deceased or the state of death itself. The dual use of ek (in exanastasin and ek nekrōn) powerfully emphasizes the definitive act of rising out from the dead. This phrase is notably used repeatedly for Christ's own resurrection (e.g., Rom 6:9, Col 2:12), highlighting the believers' future participation in the same quality of triumphant, victorious resurrection as their Lord.
Words-group by Words-group Analysis
- "if somehow I may attain": This phrase showcases Paul's deep spiritual earnestness, conveying a zealous longing and diligent striving to fully participate in the ultimate goal of his faith. It embodies his understanding that while salvation is by grace, there is a demanding journey of spiritual formation and pursuit towards its consummation. It indicates the magnitude and preciousness of the goal itself.
- "the resurrection from the dead": This comprehensive phrase, intensified by the unique exanastasin and the emphatic "out from the dead," signifies a particular, privileged resurrection destined for those united with Christ. It goes beyond merely existing after death, denoting a transformative, glorious, and victorious bodily resurrection into eternal life with Christ, triumphant over death and decay. It speaks of the full redemptive work of God, body and soul, as the believer's final and complete prize.
Philippians 3 11 Bonus section
The intense pursuit Paul describes in Phil 3:10-11 reflects an active, dynamic understanding of Christian living, even after conversion. It implies that spiritual maturity and conformity to Christ are ongoing processes, and the full glorification (culminating in resurrection) is the final, awaited perfection. This focus on future resurrection elevates the value of the human body, contradicting philosophies that might dismiss it. Christianity upholds a holistic view of human redemption, including the physical form, anticipating its ultimate transformation. This verse provides powerful impetus for believers to press on (as detailed in Phil 3:12-14), anchoring their earthly endeavors and spiritual disciplines in a living hope of ultimate glory and eternal communion with the resurrected Christ.
Philippians 3 11 Commentary
Philippians 3:11 captures Paul's profound eschatological hope and intense personal aspiration. Having rigorously jettisoned all self-righteousness based on legal performance and Jewish privilege, Paul redirects his entire life's ambition towards Christ. His desire to intimately "know Him," experiencing "the power of His resurrection" and "the fellowship of His sufferings," culminates in the ultimate goal of "attain[ing] to the resurrection from the dead." The distinct Greek term exanastasin, appearing only here, suggests a specific and pre-eminent resurrection, likely "the resurrection out from among the dead" (sometimes linked to the "first resurrection" of believers in Revelation 20), signifying a uniquely blessed transformation into glorious, incorruptible bodies, rather than a general, undifferentiated resurrection for all humanity. This verse is not an expression of doubt concerning his salvation—which he grounds solely in Christ's righteousness (Phil 3:9)—but a fervent declaration of his lifelong, strenuous pursuit to achieve the full, physical, and spiritual consummation of redemption in Christ's victorious likeness. For the Christian, it underscores that following Christ is an all-encompassing pursuit leading to future glory, a compelling motivation for present faithfulness and endurance through suffering.