002:029 Receive him therefore with heartfelt Christian joy, and hold
in honour men like him;
002:030 because it was for the sake of Christ's work that he came so
near death, hazarding, as he did, his very life in endeavouring
to make good any deficiency that there might be in your
gifts to me.
003:001 In conclusion, my brethren, be joyful in the Lord. For me
to give you the same warnings as before is not irksome to me,
while so far as you are concerned it is a safe precaution.
003:002 Beware of `the dogs,' the bad workmen, the self-mutilators.
003:003 For we are the true circumcision--we who render to God
a spiritual worship and make our boast in Christ Jesus
and have no confidence in outward ceremonies:
003:004 although I myself might have some excuse for confidence in
outward ceremonies. If any one else claims a right to trust
in them, far more may I:
003:005 circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race
of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung
from Hebrews; as to the Law a Pharisee;
003:006 as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to the righteousness
which comes through Law, blameless.
003:007 Yet all that was gain to me--for Christ's sake I have
reckoned it loss.
003:008 Nay, I even reckon all things as pure loss because of
the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
And for His sake I have suffered the loss of everything,
and reckon it all as mere refuse, in order that I may win
Christ and be found in union with Him,
003:009 not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the Law,
but that which arises from faith in Christ--the righteousness