3:4a

though I myself could have such confidence: It may be helpful in your language to make this a separate sentence. Paul is saying something that is qualifying his previous statement. To show this you may need to begin this clause with a phrase like:

However, it is true that…

I myself: The Greek emphasizes the first person singular pronoun, I. One way of doing this in English is I myself. (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version.) If you use emphatic pronouns in your language, you may be able to use one here.

could have such confidence: The text in 3:5–6 lists these reasons. The phrase could have such confidence is one word in Greek. It literally means “grounds/reason for trust.” In some languages it may be necessary to translate it with one or more verbs. For example, the SSA suggests:

could very well rely on them (SSA)

such: The Berean Standard Bible has included this word to connect this verse back to the “confidence in the flesh” that Paul referred to in 3:3c. Paul was referring to why he would have reasons, from a human point of view, to trust in who he was or what he had done, or to depend on human tradition.

Paragraph 3:4b–6b

Paul was saying, “If it would do any good, I could trust in my Jewish background and my custom of strictly following the Jewish laws, in order that God would consider me, more than anyone else, as one who belongs to him.”

Translator’s Notes places a paragraph break here (see also SSA) as do some English versions. Other English versions keep 3:4b together with 3:4a. This is perhaps because it divides up a single Greek sentence.

3:4b

Paul was not saying that he actually depended on his human background. He made it clear in 3:7–11 that it is useless to trust in such things. He was saying the if human background was important, he had a great human background to depend on. In some translations this may need to be made explicit by including a phrase such as the following at the beginning of this paragraph:

Suppose it were true that the things of this world were important….

If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh: This is an “if” clause, but Paul did not intend to express doubt. He knew that some people, those he was criticizing, did rely on the flesh. In some languages a literal translation may suggest that there is doubt about whether there are any such people. So it may be necessary to say something like “Since some people think they can trust….”

he has grounds for confidence: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has grounds for confidence is from the same root as the noun translated as “put…confidence” in 3:3c. See note there. It could be translated as “he can rely/depend on” or “he has grounds for trusting.”

I have more: Paul was saying, “I have more reasons to trust in earthly things than he does.” Another way you could state this is:

I am better qualified than anyone else to depend on physical things and human tradition.

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