(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:

PHILIPPIANS 3:18KJV
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Philippians 3:18 (KJV)

What does Philippians 3:18 mean?

Philippians 3:18 describes how Paul, with deep sadness, warns the Philippian believers that many people live in a way that makes them enemies of the cross of Christ. Paul says he has told them about these people before, and now he repeats the warning with tears.

Paul is writing to the Christians in Philippi, explaining that not everyone who claims to follow Christ truly does so. He is personally grieved (“even weeping”) as he points out that some people’s actions and choices actually oppose what Jesus accomplished on the cross. This warning comes in the middle of Paul urging the Philippians to follow his example and avoid those who lead others away from the truth about Jesus.

The Greek behind Philippians 3:18

  • "walk" (περιπατοῦσιν, peripatousin): This Greek word often means "to live" or "to conduct oneself." Paul is not just talking about physical walking, but about the way people live their daily lives.
  • "enemies" (ἐχθροί, echthroi): The word means active opposition, not just passive disagreement. Paul is describing people whose lives are in direct conflict with the meaning and purpose of Jesus’s death on the cross.
  • "cross" (σταυρός, stauros): This word refers to the cross as the central symbol of Christ’s sacrifice. Being an enemy of the cross means rejecting or undermining the message of Jesus’s self-giving love and redemption.
  • "weeping" (κλαίων, klaion): Paul uses a word that means genuine, heartfelt crying. His warning is not harsh or angry, but comes from real sorrow over those who turn away from Christ.

Why Philippians 3:18 matters

  • Paul’s tears show that warning others about spiritual danger can come from a place of love and grief, not judgment or superiority.
  • The verse clarifies that being an “enemy of the cross” is about how someone lives, not just what they say or believe.
  • This warning connects to the wider passage, where Paul urges believers to follow good examples and be alert to those who might lead them away from the true message of Jesus.