Philippians 3:13-14 tells you that Paul has not yet reached spiritual completion, yet he has one focused purpose: to forget what lies behind and press on toward the goal God has set before him in Christ. The passage is a small window into how a mature believer thinks about progress, failure and hope.
Paul writes this letter from prison, probably in the 60s AD, to the church in Philippi, a Roman colony in northern Greece that was dear to him. In the verses just before, he has been describing his desire to know Christ more deeply, even if that means sharing in his suffering.
13 Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 (WEB)
Philippians 3:13-14 Summary
Paul begins with an honest admission: he does not consider himself to have fully arrived at the resurrection life he longs for. Rather than pretending otherwise, he names the gap between where he is and where he hopes to be. Then he states the one thing that governs his life: he is pressing forward.
He describes that forward movement in two directions. He lets go of what is behind him, whether past achievements or past failures, and he stretches toward what lies ahead. The passage closes with the image of a runner pressing toward a finish line, aiming for the prize that God calls him to in Christ Jesus.
Context of Philippians 3:13-14
Philippians is traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul and addressed to the believers in Philippi, a church that had supported him financially and remained close to his heart. Paul writes with warmth and gratitude, but he also warns them about teachers who insisted that righteousness came through keeping the law, a message he rejects because it places confidence in human effort rather than in Christ.
In verses 10 through 17, Paul moves from the story of his own spiritual history to a call for the church to follow his example of single-minded pursuit. Verses 13 and 14 sit at the heart of that call. They explain how a believer can keep moving toward maturity without becoming either complacent or crushed by the distance still to go.
Philippians 3:13-14 Verse by Verse
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from God’s love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Paul assures believers that nothing can separate them from God’s love in Christ. That security gives a settled foundation from which we can let go of past failures and press forward with confidence.
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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The writer of Hebrews also uses the image of a race, urging believers to lay aside every weight and to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the source and perfecter of faith.
A Prayer Based on Philippians 3:13-14
Father, I confess that I often look back at what I have done wrong or what I have failed to accomplish, and I let those things weigh me down. Thank you that you have already called me in Christ and that my hope does not rest on my own record. Help me to release what is behind me, to bring my failures to you honestly, and to receive your forgiveness. Give me clarity about the one thing I should pursue today, and strengthen me to press toward the goal you have set before me. I trust that you are faithful to finish the work you have begun in me. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “forgetting what is behind” mean in Philippians 3:13?
It means Paul is not letting his past successes or failures control his present direction. He is not denying that the past happened, but he refuses to let it dictate his next step. He keeps his attention on what God is calling him toward.
Is the prize in Philippians 3:14 something we earn?
Paul ties the prize to God’s high calling in Christ Jesus, which points to grace as its source. Believers respond to that calling with effort and perseverance, but the hope itself rests on God’s initiative. The race is a response to what God has already done.
How does Philippians 3:13-14 relate to Christian growth?
Paul’s words show that growth involves both humility and persistence. A mature believer admits there is still more to become and keeps moving toward Christlikeness. Growth comes through steady, faithful steps rather than through a single moment of arrival.
