Philippians 3:8
What does Philippians 3:8 mean?
A plain-English look at Philippians 3:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Philippians 3:8 means
Paul intensifies his point: he now counts all things loss compared with the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. He has suffered the loss of all things and deems them refuse to win Christ. Knowing Christ is personal and supreme—it is not mere information but relationship, allegiance, and delight. The language of “refuse” shows how decisively he rejects any rival righteousness. The scale is Christ on one side and everything else on the other; Christ outweighs the lot. This is the logic of worship: the worth of Jesus relativizes every status and possession, freeing believers to let go and find true gain in Him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862yes, indeed, and I count all things to be loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom of the all things I suffered loss, and do count them to be refuse, that Christ I may gain, and be found in him,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Furthermore, I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But surely I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all, and count them to be filth, that I may gain Christ;
Context
Verse 8 amplifies the valuation of verse 7, moving from past tense (“counted”) to present resolve (“I count”). It prepares directly for verse 9’s explanation of what “gain Christ” entails: being found in Him with God’s righteousness through faith. The flow matters because Paul is not advocating loss for loss’s sake; he is after a greater possession—Christ Himself. Verses 10–11 will then show the experiential outworking of this gain in resurrection power, fellowship with Christ’s sufferings, and hope of final resurrection.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 17:8
for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.
- Matthew 19:27
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have?
- 1 Peter 2:7
For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;
- Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
- 1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.
- Ephesians 3:18
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
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