Philippians 3:3-6

New Catholic Bible

³For we are the circumcision,^[a] we who worship by the Spirit of God and who boast in Christ Jesus and do not place any confidence in the flesh— ⁴even though I too have reason for confidence in the flesh.

Joyous Sacrifice of All Things for Christ.^[b] If anyone thinks that he has reasons to be confident in the flesh, I have more! ⁵I was circumcised on the eighth day of my life. I was one of the people of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin.^[c] I am a Hebrew and the son of Hebrews. In regard to the Law, I was a Pharisee; ⁶in regard to religious zeal, I was a persecutor of the Church; in regard to righteousness under the Law, I was without fault.

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Footnotes

Philippians 3:3 We are the circumcision: Christians are the true People of God and offspring of Abraham (see Gal 3:7, 29; 6:15).
Philippians 3:4 Paul had everything needed to forge for himself a brilliant career in Judaism, and he dreamed about it. He was a Jew of the most elite tribe and the most rigorous sect as well as a zealous advocate and defender of his religion. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus—a Jesus who identified himself totally with his followers and who loved him unconditionally—turned everything upside down for Paul.
Henceforth, Christ becomes his sole interest. His very existence will be the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, that is, communion in his Paschal Mystery of dying and rising to new life, and participation in his work for the salvation of the world. One thing is evident for Paul: human beings can become fully realized only by giving themselves to Christ without reservation.
Philippians 3:5 The tribe of Benjamin was descended from the one son of Jacob who was born in Palestine (Gen 35:16f), and it had always been faithful to the Davidic dynasty. The Jerusalem temple was in the territory of Benjamin.

Philippians 3:3-6

New International Version

³For it is we who are the circumcision,^(A) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,^(B) and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴though I myself have reasons for such confidence.^(C)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised^(D) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(E) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(F) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;^(G) ⁶as for zeal,^(H) persecuting the church;^(I) as for righteousness based on the law,^(J) faultless.

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Philippians 3:3-6

New American Standard Bible

³for ^(A)we are the true ^[a]circumcision, who ^(B)worship in the Spirit of God and take ^(C)pride in ^(D)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴although ^(E)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: ⁵^(F)circumcised the eighth day, of the ^(G)nation of Israel, of the ^(H)tribe of Benjamin, a ^(I)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, ^(J)a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, ^(K)a persecutor of the church; as to the ^(L)righteousness which is in the Law, found ^(M)blameless.