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Philippians 3:19

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.
Philippians 3:19 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
  • KJV Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind 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.

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 those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
  • Rom 8:5–7For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
  • 2 Pet 2:3In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
  • Col 3:2Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
  • Jude 1:12–13These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
  • 2 Pet 2:1But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.
  • 2 Cor 11:15It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
  • 2 Cor 11:12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.
  • Hos 4:7As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.
  • 2 Pet 2:13receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;
  • Gal 6:13For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.
  • Rev 21:8But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
  • 1 Cor 3:3for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?
  • Ps 17:14from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
  • Titus 1:11–12whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
  • 1 Cor 5:2You are puffed up, and didn’t rather mourn, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you.
  • Mal 1:12“But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’
  • Jude 1:16These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
  • 1 Cor 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?
  • Ezek 34:3You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don’t feed the sheep.
  • 2 Th 2:8Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
  • 1 Tim 6:5constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
  • 2 Pet 2:17–19These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.
  • 2 Th 2:12that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
  • 2 Tim 3:4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
  • Rev 22:15Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
  • Phil 2:21For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
  • Matt 25:41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
  • Heb 6:6–8and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.
  • Luke 12:19I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.”’
  • Mic 3:5Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:
  • Luke 18:4He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,
  • Jas 4:16But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.
  • Mic 3:11Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”
  • Ps 52:1For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.
  • Ps 4:6–7Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
  • Luke 16:19“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
  • Rev 20:9–10They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.
  • Matt 16:23But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”
  • 1 Sam 2:11–16Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh 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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