The Meaning of Philippians 3:13 Explained

Philippians 3:13

KJV: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

YLT: brethren, I do not reckon myself to have laid hold; and one thing -- the things behind indeed forgetting, and to the things before stretching forth --

Darby: Brethren, I do not count to have got possession myself; but one thing forgetting the things behind, and stretching out to the things before,

ASV: Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to have apprehended:  but  [this] one thing  [I do], forgetting  those things  which are behind,  and  reaching forth unto  {5734} those things which are before, 

What does Philippians 3:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Again Paul disclaimed having attained conformity to Christ. He viewed his experience as similar to a runner"s. He did not look back. The apostle did not mean that he refused to remember things that had happened to him in the past. He had just reviewed some of those things. He meant that he did not rest in his heritage ( Philippians 3:5-7) or in his past attainments ( Philippians 3:9-12). He had abandoned the unworthy goal that he had pursued in the past. Now he had a new goal toward which he was looking and running.
"Forget those wrongs done, e.g. the persecution of the church ( Philippians 3:6), and so on, whose memory could paralyze one with guilt and despair. Forget, too, those attainments so far achieved as a Christian, the recollection of which might cause one to put life into neutral and to say, "I have arrived." Forget in such a way that the past, good or bad, will have no negative bearing on one"s present spiritual growth or conduct." [1]
Fee believed that Paul was referring to looking at the other runners in the race when he spoke of not looking back. [2] I think this is less likely what he had in mind.

Context Summary

Philippians 3:13-21 - Pressing On "unto The Prize"
The nearer the saint comes to the perfect life, the farther he feels from it. It is only when we have climbed the foothills that we realize how lofty the mountain summits are. But there is no need for discouragement. We have eternity before us, the expanding landscape of truth is our inspiration, and the loving Spirit of God bears us upward on eagle's wings. Our Savior had a distinct purpose in view when He apprehended us. Its full scope was only known to Him; let us strive that we may not fail to realize His ideal. We can do this best by forgetting past failures, past sins, and past successes, and pressing on toward the goal. Will not the prize be the Lord Himself? Let us always remember that God's call is upward. This will help us when there seems collision between two duties.
Instead of judging another, let us walk together along the path of obedience. Those who leave the narrow track and still profess godliness are greater enemies to the Cross than avowed antagonists. We are citizens of the skies, who come forth to spend a few hours each day on earth. This is our inn, yonder is our true home. Thence Jesus will come to complete the work of salvation by giving us a body like His own. [source]

Chapter Summary: Philippians 3

1  He warns them to beware of the false teachers;
4  showing that himself has greater cause than they to trust in the righteousness of the law;
7  which he counts as loss, to gain Christ and his righteousness;
12  acknowledging his own imperfection and pressing on toward the goal;
15  He exhorts them to be thus minded;
17  and to imitate him,
18  and to decline carnal ways

Greek Commentary for Philippians 3:13

Not yet [ουπω]
But some MSS. read ου — ou (not). [source]
To have apprehended [κατειληπεναι]
Perfect active infinitive of same verb καταλαμβανω — katalambanō (perfective use of κατα — kata to grasp completely). Surely denial enough. But one thing (εν δε — hen de). No verb in the Greek. We can supply ποιω — poiō (I do) or διωκω — diōkō (I keep on in the chase), but no verb is really needed. “When all is said, the greatest art is to limit and isolate oneself” (Goethe), concentration. Forgetting the things which are behind Common verb, usually with the genitive, but the accusative in the Koiné{[28928]}š is greatly revived with verbs. Paul can mean either his old pre-Christian life, his previous progress as a Christian, or both (all of it). Stretching forward (επεκτεινομενος — epekteinomenos). Present direct middle participle of the old double compound επεκτεινω — epekteinō (stretching myself out towards). Metaphor of a runner leaning forward as he runs. [source]
But one thing [εν δε]
No verb in the Greek. We can supply ποιω — poiō (I do) or διωκω — diōkō (I keep on in the chase), but no verb is really needed. “When all is said, the greatest art is to limit and isolate oneself” (Goethe), concentration. [source]
Forgetting the things which are behind [τα μεν οπισω επιλαντανομενος]
Common verb, usually with the genitive, but the accusative in the Koiné{[28928]}š is greatly revived with verbs. Paul can mean either his old pre-Christian life, his previous progress as a Christian, or both (all of it). Stretching forward (επεκτεινομενος — epekteinomenos). Present direct middle participle of the old double compound επεκτεινω — epekteinō (stretching myself out towards). Metaphor of a runner leaning forward as he runs. [source]
Stretching forward [επεκτεινομενος]
Present direct middle participle of the old double compound επεκτεινω — epekteinō (stretching myself out towards). Metaphor of a runner leaning forward as he runs. [source]
Myself []
As others count themselves. [source]

What do the individual words in Philippians 3:13 mean?

Brothers I myself not do consider to have taken hold [of it] One thing however The things indeed behind forgetting to the things now ahead reaching forward
ἀδελφοί ἐγὼ ἐμαυτὸν οὐ λογίζομαι κατειληφέναι ἓν δέ τὰ μὲν ὀπίσω ἐπιλανθανόμενος τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος

ἀδελφοί  Brothers 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
ἐμαυτὸν  myself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμαυτοῦ  
Sense: I, me, myself etc.
λογίζομαι  do  consider 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: λογίζομαι  
Sense: to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over.
κατειληφέναι  to  have  taken  hold  [of  it] 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Active
Root: καταλαμβάνω  
Sense: to lay hold of.
ἓν  One  thing 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
δέ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τὰ  The  things 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μὲν  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
ὀπίσω  behind 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὀπίσω 
Sense: back, behind, after, afterwards.
ἐπιλανθανόμενος  forgetting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιλανθάνομαι  
Sense: to forget.
τοῖς  to  the  things 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἔμπροσθεν  ahead 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἔμπροσθεν  
Sense: in front, before.
ἐπεκτεινόμενος  reaching  forward 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπεκτείνομαι  
Sense: to stretch out to or towards.