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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Simplified Cowboy Version

Philippians 1:16

The ones who ride for the right reason do so because they have the love of God in their heart. They know the only reason I'm here is because I'm a cowboy for God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Employer;   Forgiveness;   Intercession;   Love;   Malice;   Master;   Minister, Christian;   Rome;   Sincerity;   Strife;   Tact;   Zeal, Religious;   Scofield Reference Index - Day (of Christ);   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflicted, Duty toward the;   Masters;   Ministers;   Servants;   Sincerity;   Strife;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Servant;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Messiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Evangelize, Evangelism;   Gospel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Onesimus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mark, John;   Onesimus;   Philemon;   Philippians, the Epistle to the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Philemon;   Philippians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Philemon, Epistle to;   Philippians, Epistle to;   Slave, Slavery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Beloved ;   Brotherly Love;   Chain, Bonds;   Cheerfulness ;   Faction;   Family;   Fellowship (2);   Guard;   Meals;   Mediation Mediator;   Onesimus ;   Philippians Epistle to the;   Social Life;   Truth;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Flesh;   Onesimus;   Perfect;   Philippians, the Epistle to;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 5;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
King James Version (1611)
The one preach Christ of contention, not syncerely, supposing to adde affliction to my bonds:
King James Version
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
English Standard Version
The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
New American Standard Bible
the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
New Century Version
They preach because they have love, and they know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
Legacy Standard Bible
the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
Berean Standard Bible
The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
Contemporary English Version
They love Christ and know that I am here to defend the good news about him.
Complete Jewish Bible
The latter act from love, aware that I am put where I am for defending the Good News;
Darby Translation
These indeed out of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the glad tidings;
Easy-to-Read Version
They are doing it out of love. They know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The one part preacheth Christ of contention and not purely, supposing to adde more affliction to my bandes.
George Lamsa Translation
For they know that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel:
Good News Translation
These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel.
Lexham English Bible
The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
Literal Translation
These, indeed, announce Christ out of party spirit, not sincerely, thinking to add affliction to my bonds.
Amplified Bible
The latter [preach Christ] out of love, because they know that I have been put here [by God on purpose] for the defense of the gospel;
American Standard Version
the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel;
Bible in Basic English
These do it from love, conscious that I am responsible for the cause of the good news:
Hebrew Names Version
The former preach Messiah from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
International Standard Version
The latter are motivatedare motivated
">[fn] by love, because they know that I have been appointed for the defense of the gospel.
Etheridge Translation
and in the love of the Meshiha; for they know that for the defence of the gospel I am appointed.
Murdock Translation
because they know that I am appointed for the vindication of the gospel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The one preache Christe of strife, not sincerely, supposyng to adde more affliction to my bondes:
English Revised Version
the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel:
World English Bible
The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The one preach Christ out of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Weymouth's New Testament
These latter preach Him from love to me, knowing that I am here for the defence of the Good News;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and summe of charite, witinge that Y am put in the defense of the gospel.
Update Bible Version
The ones [that preach] from love know that I am set for the defense of the gospel;
Webster's Bible Translation
The one preach Christ from contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
New English Translation
The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel.
New King James Version
The former Phil. 1:16 and Phil. 1:17.">[fn] preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;
New Living Translation
They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.
New Life Bible
These do it because of love. They know that I am put here to prove the Good News is true.
New Revised Standard
These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
These, indeed, out of love, knowing that, for the defence of the glad-message, I am set;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Some out of charity, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Revised Standard Version
The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The one parte preacheth Christ of stryfe and not purely supposinge to adde more adversitie to my bondes.
Young's Literal Translation
the one, indeed, of rivalry the Christ do proclaim, not purely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The one parte preacheth Christ off stryfe and not purely, supposynge to adde more aduersite vnto my bondes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
those preach the gospel of Christ, not in sincerity, but from a principle of contention, with a view to inflame the persecution against me:

Contextual Overview

12Y'all need to understand that everything that has happened to me has paved the way for the good news to spread like a wildfire through old grass. 13Everyone here knows I am in chains because I ride for the brand that belongs to Christ Jesus. The whole palace guard knows it too. 14Because I am in chains, most of the other cowboys didn't become cowards, they became courageous. They are bolder now spreading the Gospel than they ever were before. These are real men and women riding for the Lord. 15Now, it is true that some want fame and glory for preaching, but just because there are a few like that, it doesn't mean they all are. 16The ones who ride for the right reason do so because they have the love of God in their heart. They know the only reason I'm here is because I'm a cowboy for God. 17Those others who preach for the wrong reasons, they do so to make trouble for me. They are cowards who talk big when I'm in jail and cannot get to them. 18But that doesn't matter! The only thing that matters is that Jesus Christ is preached. It doesn't matter if a person's motives are true or false. If Jesus is preached, that's all that matters. This fact gives me peace and a smile on my face.And there ain't no one who can keep the smile off my face. 19I know y'all are praying for me and God is going to take care of everything one way or another through Jesus Christ. 20You want to know what I think about while in prison? It's not getting out. It's that I will not be ashamed of Jesus. I pray every day that I will have the right amount of courage. So that when the time comes, it won't matter if I'm to live or die. I will do so courageously.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not sincerely: Philippians 1:10, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 4:2

supposing: Job 6:14, Job 16:4, Psalms 69:26

Reciprocal: Job 16:2 - miserable 2 Corinthians 11:13 - false Philippians 1:15 - preach Philippians 2:3 - nothing Philippians 3:18 - enemies

Cross-References

Matthew 24:29
"After the Boss steps in and all the sufferin' is over, 'The sun will go out and the moon won't shine anymore. The stars will fall and every universe will tremble.'
Matthew 27:45
From about noon until three, darkness covered the territory.
1 Corinthians 15:41
The sun is beautiful in one way and the moon just as much in another. The stars shine differently and their beauty is different.
Revelation 21:23
There was no need for a sun or moon. It is lit with the glory of God and the Lamb is the torch.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The one preach Christ of contention,.... That is, those that preached of envy and strife, an not of good will to Christ, to the Gospel, to the souls of men, or to the apostle; and though they preached Christ, yet

not sincerely or "purely"; not but that they delivered the sincere milk of the word, and preached the pure Gospel of Christ, without any mixture and adulteration; but then they did not preach it with a sincere heart, and a pure intention; for this respects not the doctrine they preached, but their views in it, which were not honest and upright; they did not preach Christ from a principle of love to his person, and from an inward experience of the power of his Gospel, and a zealous affection for it, and firm attachment to it, and with a view to the glory of God, the honour of Christ, and the good of immortal souls; but were influenced by avarice, ambition, and envy: they had very evil designs upon the apostle,

supposing to add affliction to my bonds; imagining that by their free and bold way of preaching Christ openly in the city without control, and with impunity, it might be thought that the apostle did not lie in bonds for preaching Christ, but for some other crime; or otherwise why were not they laid hold on and put under confinement also? or thinking that by such numbers of them frequently preaching Christ about the city, it would either incense and stir up the Jews, Paul's accusers, to prosecute him more vigorously; or excite Nero to take more cognizance of his case, and either more closely confine him, or hasten the bringing his cause to a hearing, and him to punishment, as the ringleader of this sect, to the terror of others; but this they could not do without exposing themselves to great danger, unless they were determined to recant, as soon as they should be taken up; wherefore it should rather seem that their view was in preaching Christ to carry away the glory of it from the apostle, and take it to themselves; and fancying that he was a man of the same cast with them, desirous of vain glory, they thought it would afflict and distress him, he being in bonds, and not at liberty to exert himself, and make use of his superior gifts and abilities; but in this they were mistaken, he was so far from being made uneasy hereby, that he rejoiced at the preaching of Christ, let their intentions be what they would; and therefore he does not say that they did add affliction to his bonds; but they "supposed", or thought, that the method they took would do it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The one preach Christ of contention - So as to form parties, and to produce strifes among his professed followers.

Not sincerely - Not “purely” - ἁγνῶς hagnōs - not with pure motives or intentions. Their real aim is not to preach Christ, but to produce difficulty, and to stir up strife. They are ambitious people, and they have no real regard for the welfare of the church and the honor of religion.

Supposing to add affliction to my bonds - To make my trial the greater. How they did this is unknown. Perhaps they were those who were strongly imbued with Jewish notions, and who felt that his course tended to diminish respect for the law of Moses, and who now took this opportunity to promote their views, knowing that this would be particularly painful to him when he was not at liberty to meet them openly, and to defend his own opinions. It is possible also that they may have urged that Paul himself had met with a signal reproof for the course which he had taken, and, as a consequence, was now thrown into chains. Bloomfield suggests that it was the opinion of many of the ancient expositors that they endeavored to do this by so preaching as to excite the fury of the multitude or the rulers against Paul, and to produce increased severity in his punishment. But the way in which they did this is unknown, and conjecture is altogether useless.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. Preach Christ of contention — The Judaizing teachers, they also preach Christ; they acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ or promised Messiah, and preach him as such.

Not sincerely — ουχ αγνως. Not chastely, garbling the Gospel; not speaking the whole truth, but just what served their purpose; and at the same time they denounced the apostle as an enemy to the Divine institutions, because he spoke against circumcision.


 
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