Philippians 3:2

Philippians 3:2

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

a. NLT: Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.

b. NIV: Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.

c. YLT: Look to the dogs, look to the evil-workers, look to the concision;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Look out for those dogs [Judaizers, legalists], look out for those mischief-makers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

e. Worrell Translation: Beware of the dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware of the mutilation.

f. Wuest Translation: Keep a watchful eye ever upon the dogs. Keep a watchful eye ever upon the evil-workers. Keep a watchful eye ever upon those who are mutilated, doing this for the purpose of bewaring of and avoiding the same.

1. “Beware of dogs…”

a. Beware [Strong: 991 blepo blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.]

b. of dogs [Strong: 2965 kuon koo'-ohn a primary word; a dog ("hound") (literally or figuratively):--dog.]

1). Notice the following examples of how God’s word describes people.

a). Psalm 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

b). Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

c). Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

d). Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

2. “…beware of evil workers…”

a. beware of [Strong: 991 blepo blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.]

b. evil [Strong: 2556 kakos kak-os' apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas 4190 properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:--bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.]

c. workers [Strong: 2040 ergates er-gat'-ace from 2041; a toiler; figuratively, a teacher:--labourer, worker(-men).]

3. “…beware of the concision.”

a. beware of [Strong: 991 blepo blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.]

b. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

c. concision [Strong: 2699 katatome kat-at-om-ay' from a compound of 2596 and temno (to cut); a cutting down (off), i.e. mutilation (ironically):--concision.]

1). It is clear that Paul is referring to those who want to include circumcision, the keeping of the law into being a believer. It is strong that he calls it a mutilation. The Judaisers were dealt with in Acts 15:1-29, and Paul further described the details Galatians 2:1-10. In Philippians 3:3 he describes the true circumcision.