Philippians 3:12

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Not	οὐχ ouch	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
though	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
had	ἔλαβον elabon	G2983	while G138 (αἱρέομαι) is more violent · verb — second aorist active indicative, 1st person singular
already	ἤδη ēdē	G2235	even now · adverb
attained	λαμβάνω lambánō	G2983	while G138 (αἱρέομαι) is more violent
either	ἢ ē	G2228	disjunctive · conjunction
were	τετελείωμαι, teteleiōmai	G5048	to complete · verb — perfect passive indicative, 1st person singular
already	ἤδη ēdē	G2235	even now · adverb
perfect	τελειόω teleióō	G5048	to complete
but	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
after	διώκω diōkō	G1377	compare the base of G1169 (δειλός) and G1249 (διάκονος)) · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
if	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
that	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
apprehend	καταλάβω katalabō	G2638	to take eagerly · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 1st person singular
for	ἐφ᾽ eph᾽	G1909	properly · preposition
which	ᾧ hō	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — dative singular neuter
also	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
apprehended	κατελήμφθην katelēmphthēn	G2638	to take eagerly · verb — aorist passive indicative, 1st person singular
of	ὑπὸ hupo	G5259	under · preposition
Christ	Χριστοῦ Christou	G5547	anointed · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
Jesus	Ἰησοῦ.¶ Iēsou	G2424	Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua) · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Timothy 6:11-12 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as…
1 Peter 3:11-13 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness i…
Isaiah 51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit…
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:9-14

We now heard what the apostle renounced; let us now see what he laid hold on, and resolved to cleave to, namely, Christ and heaven. He had his heart on these two great peculiarities of the Christian religion. I. The apostle had his heart upon Christ as his righteousness. This is illustrated in several instances. 1. He desired to win Christ; and an unspeakable gainer he would reckon himself if he had but an interest in Christ and his righteousness, and if Christ became his Lord and his Saviour: That I may win him; as the runner wins the prize, as the sailor makes the port he is bound for. The expression intimates that we have need to strive for him and after him, and that all is little enough…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:12

Translate, "Not that I," &c. (I do not wish to be understood as saying that, &c.). attained--"obtained," namely, a perfect knowledge of Christ, and of the power of His death, and fellowship of His sufferings, and a conformity to His death. either were already perfect--"or am already perfected," that is, crowned with the garland of victory, my course completed, and perfection absolutely reached. The image is that of a race course throughout. See Co1 9:24; Heb 12:23. See TRENCH [Greek Synonyms of the New Testament]. I follow after--"I press on." apprehend . . . apprehended--"If so be that I may lay hold on that (namely, the prize, Phi 3:14) for which also I was laid hold on by Christ"…

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Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:12

Not as though I had already attained - Ουχ ὁτι ηδη ελαβον· For I have not yet received the prize; I am not glorified, for I have not finished my course; and I have a conflict still to maintain, and the issue will prove whether I should be crowned. From the beginning of the 11th to the end of the 17th verse there is one continued allusion to the contests at the Olympic games; exercises with which, and their laws, the Philippians were well acquainted. Either were already perfect - Η ηδη τετελειωμαι· Nor am I yet perfect; I am not yet crowned, in consequence of having suffered martyrdom. I am quite satisfied that the apostle here alludes to the Olympic games, and the word τετελειωμαι is the pr…

The Church Fathers

"It was he who first caught me in his net" Paul says in effect, "for I was fleeing him and was turned well away. He caught me as I fled. But now I in turn am the pursuer in my desire of catching him, that I may not be a disappointment to his saving work."
— Theodoret of Cyrus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.12

If these things may happen to those women also who, having attained the faith while in (the state of) Gentile matrimony, continue in that state, still they are excused, as having been "apprehended by God" in these very circumstances; and they are bidden to persevere in their married state, and are sanctified, and have hope of "making a gain" held out to them.
— Tertullian, To His Wife Book II

Christ by his sufferings has set free all who follow him. He embraces everyone, but especially those who follow. The one who wants to follow and embrace Christ is bound to follow Christ in all his sufferings. Only in this way may he embrace Christ as Christ embraces him. For if Christ set everyone free by his sufferings, he embraces everyone in his sufferings.
— Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.12

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of…
Desire · SPIRITUAL — SPIRITUAL
Grace Of God · GROWTH IN — GROWTH IN
Humility · EXEMPLIFIED — EXEMPLIFIED
Perfection · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Righteousness · 2:17;7:10,11;9:10;10:5;13:5; — 2:17;7:10,11;9:10;10:5;13:5;
Roman Empire, The · Allusions to grecian game adapted by: Foot races — Allusions to grecian game adapted by: Foot races
Testimony · RELIGIOUS — RELIGIOUS
Zeal, Religious · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Philippians 3:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:9-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:12

Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Philippians 3:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:9-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:12

Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on Philippians 3:12

John Calvin on Philippians 3:12-17

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Philippians 3:12–end