Philippians 3:12

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.

a. NLT: I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

b. NIV: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

c. YLT: Not that I did already obtain, or have been already perfected; but I pursue, if also I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by the Christ Jesus;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

e. Worrell Translation: Not that I already obtained, or have already been made perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ.

f. Wuest Translation: Not that I already made acquisition or that I have now already been brought to that place of absolute spiritual maturity beyond which there is no progress, but I am pursuing onward if I may lay hold of that for which I have been laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

1. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…”

a. Not [Strong: 3756 ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

b. as though [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

c. [I] had already [Strong: 2235 ede ay'-day apparently from 2228 (or possibly 2229) and 1211; even now:--already, (even) now (already), by this time.]

d. attained [Strong: 2983  lambano lam-ban'-o a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas 1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while 138 is more violent, to seize or remove)):--accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).] [Thayer: to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it, to take in order to carry away, to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own, to take, to choose, select, to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back.]

e. either [Strong: 2228 e ay a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

f. were already [Strong: 2235 ede ay'-day apparently from 2228 (or possibly 2229) and 1211; even now:--already, (even) now (already), by this time.]

g. perfect [Strong: 5048 teleioo tel-i-o'-o from 5046; to complete, i.e. (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character):--consecrate, finish, fulfil, make) perfect.]   [Thayer: to make perfect, complete, to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end, to bring to the end (goal) proposed, to accomplish, bring to a close or fulfilment by event.]

2.  “…but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

a. but [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

b. I follow after [Strong: 1377 dioko dee-o'-ko a prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee; compare the base of 1169 and 1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute:--ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute(-ion), press forward.] [Thayer: to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away, to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after, to press on: figuratively of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal, to pursue (in a hostile manner), in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one, to persecute, to be mistreated, suffer persecution on account of something, without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone, metaph., to pursue.]

c. if [Strong: 1499 ei kai i kahee from 1487 and 2532; if also (or even):--if (that), though.]

d. [that I may] apprehend [Strong: 2638 katalambano kat-al-am-ban'-o from 2596 and 2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively):--apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.] [Thayer: to lay hold of, to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to, to make one's own, to take into one's self, appropriate, to seize upon, take possession of,  of evils overtaking one, of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, of a demon about to torment one, in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying, hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it, to detect, catch, to lay hold of with the mind, to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend.]

e. that [Strong: 1909 epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

f. for which [Strong: 3739 hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

g. also [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

h. [I am] apprehended [Strong: 2638 katalambano kat-al-am-ban'-o from 2596 and 2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively):--apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.] [Thayer: to lay hold of, to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to, to make one's own, to take into one's self, appropriate, to seize upon, take possession of,  of evils overtaking one, of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, of a demon about to torment one, in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying, hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it, to detect, catch, to lay hold of with the mind, to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend.]

i. of [Strong: 5259 hupo hoop-o' a primary preposition; under, i.e. (with the genitive case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative case) of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) or time (when (at)):--among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In the comparative, it retains the same general applications, especially of inferior position or condition, and specially, covertly or moderately.]

j. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

k. Jesus Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

1). It is obvious that Christians are to be pursuing the same thing as Christ. We were apprehended by Christ to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives, to be conformed to the image of Christ.

a). Romans 8:28, 29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2). Paul eagerly pursued to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus, the reward of which is to receive a glorified body at the rapture of the Church. Within this divine purpose, the end goal being a glorified body, is the day to day victorious life of the consecrated believer, living a life dead to sin but alive to God.

a). Romans 6:4-12  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.