Philippians 3:2

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Beware	Βλέπετε Blepete	G991	to look at (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
dogs	κύνας, kunas	G2965	a dog ("hound") (literally or figuratively) · noun — accusative plural masculine
beware	βλέπετε blepete	G991	to look at (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
of	ἐργάτας, ergatas	G2040	a toiler · noun — accusative plural masculine
evil	κακοὺς kakous	G2556	worthless (intrinsically · adjective — accusative plural masculine
workers	ἐργάτης ergátēs	G2040	a toiler
beware	βλέπετε blepete	G991	to look at (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
concision	κατατομήν· katatomēn	G2699	a cutting down (off) · noun — accusative singular feminine

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

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Isaiah 56:10-11 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
2 Timothy 3:1-6 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Psalms 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Philippians 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:1-3

It seems the church of the Philippians, though a faithful and flourishing church, was disturbed by the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to keep up the law of Moses, and mix the observances of it with the doctrine of Christ and his institutions. He begins the chapter with warnings against these seducers. I. He exhorts them to rejoice in the Lord (Phi 3:1), to rest satisfied in the interest they had in him and the benefit they hoped for by him. It is the character and temper of sincere Christians to rejoice in Christ Jesus. The more we take of the comfort of our religion the more closely we shall cleave to it: the more we rejoice in Christ the more willing we shall be to do and suffer for h…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:2

Beware--Greek, "Have your eye on" so as to beware of. Contrast "mark," or "observe," namely, so as to follow Phi 3:17. dogs--Greek, "the dogs," namely, those impure persons "of whom I have told you often" (Phi 3:18-19); "the abominable" (compare Rev 21:8, with Rev 22:15; Mat 7:6; Tit 1:15-16): "dogs" in filthiness, unchastity, and snarling (Deu 23:18; Psa 59:6, Psa 59:14-15; Pe2 2:22): especially "enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phi 3:18; Psa 22:16, Psa 22:20). The Jews regarded the Gentiles as "dogs" (Mat 15:26); but by their own unbelief they have ceased to be the true Israel, and are become "dogs" (compare Isa 56:10-11). evil workers-- (Co2 11:13), "deceitful workers." Not simply "ev…

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Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:2

Beware of dogs - The Jews, who have here the same appellative which they formerly gave to the Gentiles: because the Gentiles were not included in the covenant, they called them Dogs; and themselves, the children of the Most High. Now, they are cast out of the covenant and the Gentiles taken in; therefore they are the dogs, and the Gentiles the children. Evil workers - Judaizing teachers, who endeavored to pervert the Gospel. The concision - Κατατομην· The cutting or excision; not περιτομην, the circumcision: the word is used by the apostle to degrade the pretensions which the Jews made to sanctity by the cutting in their flesh. Circumcision was an honorable thing, for it was a sign of the co…

The Church Fathers

He uses this name for those who, in envy of the Gentiles, have overthrown them by their evil conversation and persuaded them to be circumcised. These he says should be absolutely avoided and rejected. They are like dogs that first bark and then mutilate the flesh with savage bites.
— Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.2

Divine Scripture speaks of dogs which are of use and are defenders of the church, as David teaches in Psalm 68, saying that these dogs are sated with the blood of enemies in the temple of God. And here he speaks of the opposite kind of dogs, who are obviously the Jews, because they are "workers" and "evil workers." For works are the sole exercise of their lives, without any knowledge of God, and from their works they hope for salvation.
— Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.1-3

Finally, hear Paul as he speaks boldly, and mark how clearly he discovers these: "Beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. See that ye walk circumspectly, because the days are evil." In fine then, what man shall have any excuse who hears these things in the Church from prophets and apostles, and from the Lord Himself, and yet will give no heed to the care of his soul, and to the time of the consummation, and to that approaching hour when we shall have to stand at the judgment-seat of Christ?
— Hippolytus of Rome, Dubious Hippolytus Fragments

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

Concision — (Gr. katatome; i.e., “mutilation”), a term used by Paul contemptuously of those who were zealots for circumcision (Phil. 3:2). Instead of the warning, “Beware of the circumcision” (peritome) i.e., of…
Dog — Frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. Dogs were used by the Hebrews as a watch for their houses (Isa. 56:10), and for guarding their flocks (Job 30:1). There were also then as now…
Circumcision · Called the: Concision — Called the: Concision
Concision · A term for “over-zealous” circumcision — A term for “over-zealous” circumcision
Dog (Sodomite?) · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Dog, The · Illustrative: Of false teachers — Illustrative: Of false teachers
Hypocrisy · 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6; — 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6;
Watchfulness · 36:18-21; — 36:18-21;

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 3:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:1-3

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:2

Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:2

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Philippians 3:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:1-3

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 3:2

Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:2

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on Philippians 3:2

John Calvin on Philippians 3:1-6

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Philippians 3:2-11