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Philippians 3:19

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Philippians 3:19 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
  • BSB Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
  • NKJV whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
  • NASB whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things.
  • NLT They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

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

Those who oppose the cross face destruction; their appetites are their god, they boast in shameful things, and they are fixated on earthly matters. Self-indulgence ends in ruin.

Overview

Paul exposes the trajectory of a life ruled by the flesh: its end is destruction, its devotion is to bodily appetite, its pride is in what should bring shame, and its horizon is merely earthly. This sober description warns the church and sets up the sharp contrast of the heavenly citizenship that follows. Apart from the cross, earthly-mindedness leads only to ruin.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 40

  • Rom 16:18For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
  • Rom 8:5–7For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
  • 2 Pet 2:3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
  • Col 3:2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
  • Jude 1:12–13These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
  • 2 Pet 2:1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
  • 2 Cor 11:15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
  • 2 Cor 11:12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
  • Hos 4:7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
  • 2 Pet 2:13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
  • Gal 6:13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
  • Rev 21:8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
  • 1 Cor 3:3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
  • Ps 17:14From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
  • Titus 1:11–12Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
  • 1 Cor 5:2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
  • Mal 1:12But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
  • Jude 1:16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
  • 1 Cor 5:6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
  • Ezek 34:3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
  • 2 Th 2:8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
  • 1 Tim 6:5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
  • 2 Pet 2:17–19These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
  • 2 Th 2:12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
  • 2 Tim 3:4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
  • Rev 22:15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
  • Phil 2:21For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
  • Matt 25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
  • Heb 6:6–8If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
  • Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
  • Mic 3:5Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
  • Luke 18:4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
  • Jas 4:16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
  • Mic 3:11The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
  • Ps 52:1Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
  • Ps 4:6–7There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
  • Luke 16:19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
  • Rev 20:9–10And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
  • Matt 16:23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
  • 1 Sam 2:11–16And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Philippians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Philippians 3:19YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PhilippiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 3:19 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

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