Philippians 3:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

NIV: Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

NASB: Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.

CSB: In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

NLT: Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

KJV: Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

NKJV: Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

This verse marks a transition from the first half of Paul's letter to a new section. Paul notes the shift by explicitly referring to rejoicing. Despite the struggles both he and the church faced, they were to have joy in God. "Rejoice" is a theme repeated nine times in this letter, seen in Philippians 1:18 (twice); 2:17, 18, 28; 3:1; 4:4 (twice), and 10. To rejoice is often associated with both community and with rejoicing in the Lord. This is part of Paul's continued emphasis on the mind-set, or the attitude, of a Christian believer.

Based on this verse, it seems likely Paul had taught the Philippians about rejoicing in the past. This may also be a reference to the instructions he is about to give, involving false teachers. Coaches and mentors often note that repetition is a key to getting a message across. For Paul to remind the Philippians about rejoicing was nothing difficult for him. And, the reminder was certainly beneficial for them. Given Paul's present circumstances it was particularly easy for him to include this as part of his message, at least in writing. That a man imprisoned for the sake of Christ is reminding free people to "rejoice" is also striking.

Philippians 3:1–11 warns Christians about the influence of false teachers, particularly those who add legalism on top of the gospel. Paul describes his impressive credentials, showing that he has the right to consider himself ''justified'' according to the traditional Jewish view. And yet, knowing what he does of Christ, Paul sees all of those accomplishments as garbage. Faith alone saves, and fellowship with Christ is all that truly matters.

Paul details his impressive Jewish resume. None of his critics or challengers could boast the pedigree carried by Paul. He mentions this only to emphasize how little such things mean, next to faith in Christ. Paul's language here is sharp and to the point. He then explains how a Christian's focus ought to be purely on Christ, just as a runner concentrates on their goal in order to run effectively. Rather than looking to the past, or to ourselves, we ought to look forward, to an eternity with the Lord.

In chapters 1 and 2, Paul explained how Christians should respond to hardships. Since Christ was willing to obey God, even to the point of death, we should do the same. Complaining and worry have no place in the life of a saved believer. Chapter 3 makes a bold contrast. Paul's credentials, according to Jewish tradition, were impeccable. And yet, for him, none of those accomplishments are worth anything next to fellowship with Christ. For this reason, Christ is to be the sole focus of the believer. This sets up Paul's final greetings and instructions in chapter 4.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.