Philippians 3:10 says that Paul’s deepest goal is to know Christ personally, experiencing both the power of his resurrection and the shared sufferings that come with following him. Paul wrote this from prison to the church at Philippi, a congregation he loved and had helped start, and he used his own life as the example of what this knowing looks like in practice.
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death…
Philippians 3:10 (WEB)
What Philippians 3:10 Means
The verse begins with the phrase “that I may know him,” and the word for knowing here means relational, experiential knowledge rather than simply knowing facts about someone. Paul is describing a closeness, the kind of familiarity that comes from walking alongside a person over time. He treats this knowledge as the center of his whole life, worth more than his former credentials and status.
Next Paul names two things that come with this knowing: “the power of his resurrection” and “the fellowship of his sufferings.” The first points to the living power of Jesus, the same power that raised him from the dead and that now works in believers. The second acknowledges that following Christ can involve real hardship, and Paul counts that hardship as a kind of shared participation with Jesus rather than a meaningless loss. The verse ends with Paul being “conformed to his death,” which describes a growing likeness to Christ’s own self-giving.
The verse does not promise a life free of pain, nor does it guarantee that every struggle will be quickly resolved. It describes a relationship and a direction of life. It tells us what Paul longs for and how he understands the cost of pursuing it.
The Context of Philippians 3:10
Philippians was written by the apostle Paul, traditionally during his imprisonment, and it was addressed to the believers in Philippi, a city in Macedonia where the church had been planted during Paul’s earlier missionary travels. The letter is warm and personal, filled with gratitude for the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel and with encouragement to stand firm in joy despite difficulty.
Just before verse 10, Paul explains that he has counted all his former achievements as loss compared to knowing Christ, and that he now seeks a righteousness that comes through faith rather than his own effort. Right after it, he admits he has not yet fully arrived and says he presses on toward the goal. Read in that setting, the verse is not a boast of spiritual mastery. It is an honest statement of aspiration from someone still in progress, which is why it encourages rather than intimidates.
Key Phrases in Philippians 3:10
Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
(WEB)
This verse speaks of the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwelling within believers, which helps explain the present power of resurrection that Paul names in Philippians 3:10. It connects the risen life of Christ to the everyday life of the Christian.
2 Corinthians 4:10
Always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
(WEB)
Paul writes here about carrying the dying of Jesus in his body so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in him. It echoes the blend of suffering and resurrection life found in Philippians 3:10, showing the pattern as something Paul lived out.
A Short Prayer From Philippians 3:10
Lord, you are the one I want to know more than anything else this world can offer. Many days I chase other things and forget that closeness with you is the true goal. Teach me to seek you first, to rely on the power of your resurrection when I feel weak, and to trust that you are with me even in the hard places. Shape my heart more and more into the likeness of your love. Amen.
