Press on toward the goal （Philippians 3:12-16）

Scriptures

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
  ¹⁵ All of us, then who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ¹⁶ Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Author Introduction

Paul, whose original name is Saul. He is Jew, born in Tarsus Cilicia (['tɑːsəs] 大数；[si'liʃə] 基利家), and studied under Gamaliel ([ɡə'meiljəl] 迦玛列) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. He was zealous for God and persecuted the followers of Jesus. After Jesus appeared before him on the road to Damascus ([dəˈmæskəs] 大马士革), his life has changed completely, repented and became an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

New words

• repent [rɪ'pent] 悔改
  I have nothing to repent of.
• apostle [ə'pɒs(ə)l] 信徒，使徒；最初的传道者；
• press on
  1. 抓紧；决心继续；向前推进；
     We must press on with the work if we are to finish it in time.
  2. 压，按；
     You have to press on the handle to turn it, it's very stiff.
  3. 使…担忧;
     The realities of the present pressed on them.
• strain [streɪn]
  1. worry 焦虑；
     I know you’ve been under a lot of strain lately.
  2. difficulty 困难，负担，紧张，问题；
     The dry summer has further increased the strain on water resources.
  3. force 力量，拉力，张力；
     Some of these exercises put too much strain on the back muscles.
  4. [vi] try very hard to do something 拉紧；使劲；尽力；
     She was straining to keep her head above the water.
  5. vt. 过滤；
  6. 血缘；
  7. (植物、动物的) 品种；种类；
• heavenward [hevənwəd]  [adj.] 朝向天国的；朝向天空的； [adv.] 朝向天国地；朝向天空地；
• mature [mə'tʃʊə]
  1. sensible （理智的， 成熟的）；to become fully grown（变成）熟，完全长成；
     We’re mature enough to disagree on this issue but still respect each other.
     She has matured into a fine writer.
  2. fully grown 成年的；
     The human brain isn't mature until about age 25.
  3. 发酵成熟的，已酿成的; mature cheese
  4. 到期的；
  5. mature market/ stage/ market economy 成熟的市场/ 阶段/ 市场经济 ；
• live up to 不辜负，无愧于；符合；做到；实践；