The Meaning of Philippians 3:18 Explained

Philippians 3:18

KJV: (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

YLT: for many walk of whom many times I told you -- and now also weeping tell -- the enemies of the cross of the Christ!

Darby: (for many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

ASV: For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

(For  many  walk,  of whom  I have told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you even  weeping,  [that they are] the enemies  of the cross  of Christ: 

What does Philippians 3:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Who these enemies were becomes clear in the next verse. Here we learn that there were many of them, though they were probably not in the Philippian church or Paul would probably have addressed them differently. These individuals caused the apostle much grief because they misled Christians. Perhaps he described them as enemies of the cross because what they taught was contrary to the spirit of obedience to God that had led Jesus to the cross (cf. Philippians 3:10).

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 3:18

I told you often [πολλακις ελεγον]
Imperfect active, repetition in Paul s warnings to them. [source]
Even weeping [και κλαιων]
Deep emotion as he dictated the letter and recalled these recreant followers of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:4). The enemies of the cross of Christ (τους εχτρους του σταυρου του Χριστου — tous echthrous tou staurou tou Christou). Either the Judaizers who denied the value of the cross of Christ (Galatians 5:11; Galatians 6:12, Galatians 6:14) or Epicurean antinomians whose loose living gave the lie to the cross of Christ (1 John 2:4). [source]
The enemies of the cross of Christ [τους εχτρους του σταυρου του Χριστου]
Either the Judaizers who denied the value of the cross of Christ (Galatians 5:11; Galatians 6:12, Galatians 6:14) or Epicurean antinomians whose loose living gave the lie to the cross of Christ (1 John 2:4). [source]
Many walk []
No word is supplied describing the character of their walk; but this is brought out by enemies of the cross of Christ, and in the details of Phlippians 3:19. The persons alluded to were probably those of Epicurean tendencies. This and Judaic formalism were the two prominent errors in the Philippian church. [source]

What do the individual words in Philippians 3:18 mean?

Many for are walking [of] whom often I told you now indeed even weeping I say - [as] enemies of the cross - of Christ
πολλοὶ γὰρ περιπατοῦσιν οὓς πολλάκις ἔλεγον ὑμῖν νῦν δὲ καὶ κλαίων λέγω τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ

πολλοὶ  Many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
περιπατοῦσιν  are  walking 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: περιπατέω  
Sense: to walk.
οὓς  [of]  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
πολλάκις  often 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πολλάκις 
Sense: often, frequently.
ἔλεγον  I  told 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
δὲ  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
κλαίων  weeping 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κλαίω  
Sense: to mourn, weep, lament.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
τοὺς  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐχθροὺς  [as]  enemies 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐχθρός  
Sense: hated, odious, hateful.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σταυροῦ  cross 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: σταυρός  
Sense: an upright stake, esp.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Χριστοῦ  of  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.