Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well;
Parallel translations
- WEB Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.
- KJV Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
- BSB All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
- NKJV Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
- NLT Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The spiritually mature should adopt this same forward-pressing mindset, trusting God to correct any wrong thinking. Maturity includes teachableness.
Overview
Paul calls the 'perfect,' better rendered 'mature,' to share his outlook of humble striving. Notably, true maturity does not mean having every matter settled; where believers differ, Paul trusts God himself to reveal the truth in time. This breathes both confidence in essentials and patience over secondary differences, all under God's gracious instruction.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- John 7:17If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.
- Gal 5:10I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
- Prov 2:3–6Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
- 1 Cor 2:6We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.
- Jas 1:4–5Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
- Col 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
- 1 Cor 14:20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.
- Matt 5:48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
- Phil 3:12–14Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
- Isa 35:8A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools will not go there.
- Col 1:28whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;
- Heb 5:14But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
- Ps 25:8–9Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
- Luke 11:13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
- Rom 15:1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
- 2 Tim 3:17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- Prov 3:5–6Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
- 1 Jn 2:5But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.
How Philippians 3:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.