Philippians 3:14 kjv
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 nkjv
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 niv
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 esv
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 nlt
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Phil 3:12 | ...I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. | Pressing on toward Christ's goal |
| Phil 3:13 | ...forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, | Continual pursuit |
| 1 Cor 9:24 | ...Run in such a way as to get the prize. | Metaphor of athletic race |
| Gal 2:2 | ...I told him and the others the gospel I preach among the Gentiles... | Boldly proclaiming the gospel |
| Rom 8:17 | Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ... | Inheritance with Christ |
| Rom 6:3-5 | ...our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with... | Identification with Christ's death |
| Gal 5:24 | Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. | Crucifying the flesh |
| Col 1:24 | ...I fill up the[a] 786what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions... | Suffering for Christ |
| Heb 12:2 | ...Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. | Jesus as example |
| 1 Tim 6:12 | ...Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. | Contending for faith |
| 2 Tim 4:7-8 | ...I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. | Completing the race |
| Eph 4:13 | ...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God... | Unity in Christ |
| John 17:3 | Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. | Knowing Christ |
| Matt 11:28 | “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. | Christ's invitation |
| Ps 119:113 | I hate those who are double-minded, but I love your law. | Single-minded devotion |
| Rom 12:1 | Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice... | Living sacrifice |
| Heb 10:14 | For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. | Perfecting through sacrifice |
| 2 Cor 4:17 | For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. | Eternal perspective |
| Phil 1:21 | For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. | Christ as life and gain |
| 1 Thes 5:23 | May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through: May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. | Sanctification |
| Col 2:6-7 | So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him... | Growing in Christ |
Philippians 3 verses
Philippians 3 14 Meaning
Paul presses forward towards the goal of winning Christ. This pursuit involves attaining His righteousness, experiencing His resurrection power, and sharing in His sufferings to become conformed to His death. It signifies an active and continuous striving, looking beyond past achievements toward an ultimate union and resemblance with Christ.
Philippians 3 14 Context
Philippians 3:14 comes in the latter part of a chapter where Paul contrasts genuine righteousness through Christ with a flawed, self-righteousness based on external observances. He describes his own past legalistic efforts and then shifts to the spiritual transformation he has experienced by knowing Christ. He uses athletic metaphors to encourage believers to press on toward the goal of ultimate conformity to Christ, leaving behind past achievements and any distractions. This verse is a summation of his determined pursuit of spiritual maturity and heavenly calling in Christ.
Philippians 3 14 Word Analysis
- εἰς (eis): A preposition denoting direction, purpose, or goal. Here, it signifies movement toward a specific aim or prize.
- τὸ (to): The definite article "the."
- βραβεῖον (brabeion): "Prize," "reward," specifically referring to the prize awarded to the victor in the ancient Greek athletic games. It represents the ultimate goal of the Christian race.
- τῆς (tes): The definite article "of."
- βραβεύσεως (brabeuseōs): This is the genitive case of "brabeusis," which means the act of awarding a prize or the prize itself. It echoes the sense of "brabeion" but focuses on the bestowal or the achievement of the prize.
- τῆς (tes): The definite article "of."
- ἄνω (anō): "Upward," "heavenward." It describes the origin or destination of the calling.
- καλέσματος (kalesmatos): "Calling," "summons." This refers to the divine invitation and summons to salvation and eternal life in Christ.
- τοῦ (tou): The definite article "of."
- θεοῦ (theou): "God."
Word Group Analysis
- εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς βραβεύσεως: "Towards the prize of the calling's award." This phrase encapsulates the ultimate, divinely appointed reward that Christians are striving for.
- τῆς ἄνω καλέσματος: "Of the upward calling." This specifies the nature of the calling – it originates from heaven and points towards heavenly realities.
- τοῦ θεοῦ: "Of God." This emphasizes that the prize and the calling originate from God Himself.
Philippians 3 14 Bonus Section
The metaphor of the race and prize is prevalent in Pauline theology. This upward calling signifies that the Christian life is a journey with a definitive heavenly end, not merely an ongoing earthly existence. It underscores that true attainment in Christian life is about embracing what God has accomplished in Christ and cooperating with the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming believers to Christ's image, both in His suffering and His resurrection. It serves as a powerful motivation against complacency and a call to perseverance in faith, anticipating the final revelation of God’s glory.
Philippians 3 14 Commentary
Paul’s intense focus here is on the "upward calling" of God in Christ Jesus. This isn't merely an earthly ambition, but a heavenly destination and purpose that God has purposed for believers. The "prize" is not something earned by perfect adherence to the Law, as some might have attempted, but is given to those who, like Paul, have forsaken all for Christ and are pressing on to a deeper union and likeness with Him. This prize is the culmination of sanctification, an ever-increasing conformity to Christ’s resurrected life, and ultimate glorification with Him. It’s the ultimate prize of salvation, a sharing in Christ's eternal victory and reward, reflecting the heavenly status believers have through Him.