4. though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5. circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6. as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9. and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10. that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11. that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.