Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Simplified Cowboy Version

1 Thessalonians 4:7

God did not invite us in to talk big, but to ride hard.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Chastity;   Holiness;   Injustice;   Thompson Chain Reference - Chastity-Impurity;   Impurity;   The Topic Concordance - Calling;   Despisement;   Holiness;   Teaching;   Uncleanness;   Will of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Call of God, the;   Chastity;   Holiness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Thessalonians, Epistle to the 1 and 2;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Call;   Holiness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy, Holiness;   Marriage;   Sanctification;   Thessalonians, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Call, Calling;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Thessalonians, the Epistles to the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ethics;   Holy;   Immorality;   Sanctification;   Vengeance;   1 Thessalonians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Holiness;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Thessalonians, First Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Abstinence;   Call, Called, Calling;   Perseverance;   Thessalonians Epistles to the;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Holiness;   6 Holiness Sanctification;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Thessalo'nians, First Epistle to the,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Sanctification;   Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 20;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness.
King James Version (1611)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.
King James Version
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
English Standard Version
For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
New American Standard Bible
For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification.
New Century Version
God called us to be holy and does not want us to live in sin.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.
Legacy Standard Bible
For God did not call us to impurity, but in sanctification.
Berean Standard Bible
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
Contemporary English Version
God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure.
Complete Jewish Bible
For God did not call us to live an unclean life but a holy one.
Darby Translation
For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.
Easy-to-Read Version
God chose us to be holy. He does not want us to live in sin.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.
George Lamsa Translation
For God has not called you unto uncleanness but unto holiness.
Good News Translation
God did not call us to live in immorality, but in holiness.
Lexham English Bible
For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness.
Literal Translation
For God did not call us to impurity, but in purity.
Amplified Bible
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness [to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private].
American Standard Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
Bible in Basic English
Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.
Hebrew Names Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
International Standard Version
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:14-15;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For Aloha hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto sanctification.
Murdock Translation
For God did not call you unto impurity, but to sanctification.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For God hath not called vs vnto vncleanenesse, but into holynesse.
English Revised Version
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
World English Bible
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.
Weymouth's New Testament
God has not called us to an unclean life, but to one of purity.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For God clepide not vs in to vnclennesse, but in to holynesse.
Update Bible Version
For God called us not for impurity, but in sanctification.
Webster's Bible Translation
For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.
New English Translation
For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.
New King James Version
For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.
New Living Translation
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
New Life Bible
For God has not called us to live in sin. He has called us to live a holy life.
New Revised Standard
For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For God did not call us, with a permission of impurity, but, in sanctification.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.
Revised Standard Version
For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For god hath not called vs vnto vnclennes: but vnto holynes.
Young's Literal Translation
for God did not call us on uncleanness, but in sanctification;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For God hath not called vs to vnclennesse, but vnto holynes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness:

Contextual Overview

1 As for some other things, we've taught y'all the fundamentals of how to ride for the Lord. But don't be satisfied with a little progress. Continue to grow and ride further every day. 2Y'all know everything we taught was straight from the Lord. Do it our way and you'll be doing it God's way. 3God wants for y'all to be top hands. He wants you to be holy. They are one and the same. You can't do that if you're working for the Lord during the day and visiting the whorehouse at night. 4A top hand controls his body and his desires. Be honorable and admirable in all that you do and at all times. 5Don't be like those wannabe cowboys who run around with their tongue hanging out so far in lust they could accidentally zip it up in their britches. I don't care what they say, these wannabe "cowboys" don't know God and sure don't ride for the brand. 6Only a wannabe cowboy would take advantage of someone and sell a lame horse. And I know you understand I ain't talking about trading horses. I'm talking about right living. Make no mistake, God is going to give out what they got coming. Take that as a warning. Don't learn this lesson the hard way when it's too late. 7God did not invite us in to talk big, but to ride hard. 8Anyone who scoffs at what I'm saying isn't rejecting me, but God himself. And it is the God who gives us all we need to accomplish his goals through the Holy Ghost.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 19:2, Romans 1:7, Romans 8:29, Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 4:1, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:14-16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Peter 2:22

uncleanness: 1 Thessalonians 2:3, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 4:19, 2 Peter 2:10

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:45 - be holy Leviticus 20:7 - General Numbers 15:40 - be holy Psalms 110:3 - beauties Isaiah 35:8 - The way Luke 1:75 - General John 17:19 - for 1 Corinthians 5:1 - fornication 2 Corinthians 7:1 - perfecting Ephesians 5:3 - fornication Colossians 1:22 - to Titus 2:12 - denying 1 Peter 1:15 - as 2 Peter 1:3 - called

Cross-References

Acts 10:35
He'll take in any stray who fears him and does what is right.
Romans 6:16
Don't you know that when ya hire onto an outfit, ya gotta do things the way they do 'em—whether ya hire onto sin's outfit, which leads to death, or ya sign on to ride for the Lord, which leads to life.
Romans 12:1
I'm saying this as if the God of mercy himself were standing right here. I urge each of you to offer up your lives into his outfit—this is how you really worship God.
Romans 14:18
Ride for Christ with an attitude like this and God will be pleased. Not only that, but you'll gain the respect of others.
Romans 15:16
that I am a hand for God tasked with gathering y'all remnants. I bring you good news, not bad news.
Ephesians 1:6
Now, we give him praise for what he did in giving us his son. Shoot, he gave us the blessing his son deserved.
1 Timothy 5:4
But don't step in to help if her family should be doing it. If they ride for the brand, let them take care of their own, tell them to do this. This is how they should honor their mothers and fathers. And plus, God likes it too.
Hebrews 11:4
It was Abel's heapin' of faith that helped him bring a sacrifice to God that was worthy of what it was supposed to be. Cain's was not. Abel's sacrifice showed his faith in God and God showed his approval. Even though Abel has long been in the grave, his example still speaks.
James 1:15
Then when desire calves out, it gives birth to sin, and when sin comes to full weight, it turns right into death.
1 Peter 2:5
And you are also living rocks God will use to construct a spiritual sanctuary. Not only that, but each of you cowboys are his holy men spreading his message. Your sacrifice will not be in blood, but in the life you give to God through Jesus Christ.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For God hath not called us,.... The Syriac version reads "you". This is another reason to enforce the above exhortations, and to caution them against the above unclean practices, taken from the end of the effectual calling by the efficacious grace of God, which is not

unto uncleanness of any sort, as before specified. This they had lived in before their calling, and were now called from it into communion with Christ, who loves righteousness, and hates iniquity; and by the Gospel, which teaches to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to forsake all impurity, both of flesh and spirit:

but this call is

unto holiness of life and conversation in general, and to chastity in thought, look, word, and actions in particular; for God that calls is holy, and therefore those who are called ought to be so; the calling with which they are called is an holy calling, principles of grace and holiness are wrought in their souls, when they are called; and the end of their calling is to live soberly, righteously, and godly; and then, and then only, do they walk worthy of that calling wherewith they are called, and of God who has, by his grace, called them to his kingdom and glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness - When he called us to be his followers, it was not that we should lead lives of impurity, but of holiness. We should, therefore, fulfil the purposes for which we were called into his kingdom. The word “uncleanness” (ἀκαθαρσία akatharsia), means, properly, “impurity, filth;” and then, in a moral sense, “pollution, lewdness,” as opposed to chastity; Romans 1:24; Rom 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. God hath not called us unto uncleanness — He is the creator of male and female, and the institutor of marriage, and he has called men and women to this state; but the end of this and all the other callings of God to man is holiness, not uncleanness. And they who use the marriage state as he directs, will find it conducive to their holiness and perfection.


 
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