Philippians 3:8 BSB

Philippians 3:8

More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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,

KJV

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,

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Ambrose of Milan

Concerning Repentance, Book 2 (397)

And the Apostle teaches us how to dung it, saying: "I count all things but dung, that I may gain Christ," and he, through evil report and good report, attained to pleasing Christ. For he had read that Abraham, when confessing himself to be but dust and ashes, in his deep humility found favour with God. He had read how Job, sitting among the ashes, regained all that he had lost. He had heard in the utterance of David, how God "raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill."

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

The Greek word signifies any, the vilest refuse of things, the dross of metals, the dregs of liquors, the excrements of animals, the most worthless scraps of meat, the basest offals, fit only for dogs. That I may gain Christ - He that loses all things, not excepting himself, gains Christ, and is gained by Christ.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

I count all things but loss - Not only my Jewish privileges, but all others of every kind; with every thing that men count valuable or gainful, or on which they usually depend for salvation. The excellency of the knowledge of Christ - That superior light, information, and blessedness which come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ; justification through his blood, sanctification by his Spirit, and eternal glory through his merits and intercession. These are the blessings held out to us by the Gospel, of which, and the law, Jesus Christ is the sum and substance.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

(1910)

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

28 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἀλλὰ	alla	But	G235 →
μενοῦνγε	menounge	rather	G3304 →
καὶ	kai	also	G2532 →
ἡγοῦμαι	hēgoumai	I count	G2233 →
πάντα	panta	all things	G3956 →
ζημίαν	zēmian	loss	G2209 →
εἶναι	einai	to be	G1511 →
διὰ	dia	because of	G1223 →
τὸ	to	which	G3588 →
ὑπερέχον	huperechon	is excelling	G5242 →
τῆς	tēs	the	G3588 →
γνώσεως	gnōseōs	knowledge	G1108 →
Χριστοῦ	Christou	of Christ	G5547 →
Ἰησοῦ	Iēsou	Jesus	G2424 →
τοῦ	tou	the	G3588 →
κυρίου	kuriou	Lord	G2962 →
μου	mou	of mine	G3165 →
δι᾽	di᾽	because of	G1223 →
ὃν	hon	whom	G3739 →
τὰ	ta	<the>	G3588 →
πάντα	panta	all things	G3956 →
ἐζημιώθην	ezēmiōthēn	I have lost	G2210 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἡγοῦμαι	hēgoumai	esteem [them]	G2233 →
σκύβαλα	skubala	rubbish	G4657 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
Χριστὸν	Christon	Christ	G5547 →
κερδήσω,	kerdēsō	I may gain	G2770 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Romans 8:18
I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:17–18
  For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.
- 1 Peter 4:13
  But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
- 1 Peter 1:5–7
  who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Through
John 17:3
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
leads to
- 1 John 5:20
  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son…
- 1 John 5:11–12
  And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- Jeremiah 9:23–24
  This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- John 3:17
  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
- John 17:25
  Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through Philippians 3

The Race

Open the study →

About Philippians

The Arrival at Calvary — obedient unto death — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Philippians: the study guide →Read chapter 3 →The featured study →

Continue: Philippians 3 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Philippians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Philippians