Philippians 1:10

Amplified Bible

so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin];

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ;

Revised Standard Version
so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that ye myght accepte thinges most excellent that ye myght be pure and soche as shuld hurte no manes conscience vntyll the daye of Christ

Hebrew Names Version
so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Messiah;

New American Standard Bible
so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ;

New Century Version
that you will see the difference between good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ;

Update Bible Version
so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and void of offense to the day of Christ;

Webster's Bible Translation
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ;

English Standard Version
so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

World English Bible
so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
That ye may try the things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ,

Weymouth's New Testament
so that you may be men of transparent character, and may be blameless, in preparation for the day of Christ,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that ye preue the betere thingis, that ye be clene and without offence in the dai of Crist;

English Revised Version
so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;

Berean Standard Bible
so that you can discern what is best, that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Contemporary English Version
how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day,

American Standard Version
so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;

Bible in Basic English
So that you may give your approval to the best things; that you may be true and without wrongdoing till the day of Christ;

Complete Jewish Bible
so that you will be able to determine what is best and thus be pure and without blame for the Day of the Messiah,

Darby Translation
that ye may judge of and approve the things that are more excellent, in order that ye may be pure and without offence for Christ's day,

International Standard Version
so that you may be able to determine what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,Acts 24:16; Romans 2:18; 12:2; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
that you may distinguish those things that are proper, and may be pure and without offence in the day of the Meshiha,

Murdock Translation
so that ye may discern the things that are suitable; and may be pure and without offence, in the day of the Messiah,

King James Version (1611)
That ye may approue things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of Christ.

New Living Translation
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.

New Life Bible
I pray that you will know what is the very best. I pray that you will be true and without blame until the day Christ comes again.

New Revised Standard
to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,

Geneva Bible (1587)
That ye may alowe those things which are best, that ye may be pure, and without offence vntill the day of Christ,

George Lamsa Translation
So that you may choose the things that are excellent; and that you may be pure and without offence in the day of Christ;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To the end ye may be putting to the test the things that differ, in order that ye may be incorrupt and may give no occasion of stumbling, unto the day of Christ,

Douay-Rheims Bible
That you may approve the better things: that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
That ye maye discerne thynges that differ, that ye maye be pure, and without offence, tyll the day of Christe.

Good News Translation
so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ.

Christian Standard Bible®
so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,

King James Version
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

Lexham English Bible
so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ,

Literal Translation
for you to distinguish the things that differ, that you may be sincere and without blame for the day of Christ,

Young's Literal Translation
for your proving the things that differ, that ye may be pure and offenceless -- to a day of Christ,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
yt ye maye proue what is best, that ye maye be pure, & soch as hurte no mans conscience, vnto the daye of Christ:

Mace New Testament (1729)
that being capable to distinguish what is best, you may remain stedfastly sincere until the day of Christ,

New English Translation
so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

New King James Version
that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

Simplified Cowboy Version
Y'all have to do this so you'll be able to know what is truly important in this life. Only by doing this will you be able to sit tall in the saddle when Jesus comes riding back. Then you will be able to show you are pure and blameless.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;

Legacy Standard Bible
so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ,

Contextual Overview

⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, ¹⁰so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin];¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye: Isaiah 7:15, Isaiah 7:16, Amos 5:14, Amos 5:15, Micah 3:2, John 3:20, Romans 2:18, Romans 7:16, Romans 7:22, Romans 8:7, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:9

approve things that are excellent: or, try things that differ, Job 12:11, Job 34:3, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Ephesians 5:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Hebrews 5:12-14, 1 John 4:1, Revelation 2:2

that ye may be: Philippians 1:16, Genesis 20:5, Joshua 24:14, John 1:47, Acts 24:16, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 8:8, Ephesians 4:15, *marg. Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 6:24, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:23

without: Matthew 16:23, Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:7, Matthew 26:33, Romans 14:20, Romans 14:21, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 8:13, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 2 Corinthians 6:3, Galatians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 3:13

till: 1 Corinthians 1:8

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:8 - then thou shalt 1 Kings 3:9 - discern Ecclesiastes 8:5 - a wise Song of Solomon 7:4 - thy nose Isaiah 11:3 - understanding Mark 9:42 - offend John 16:1 - General Romans 14:13 - put 1 Corinthians 2:15 - judgeth 2 Corinthians 1:14 - in the Philippians 1:6 - the day Philippians 2:15 - harmless Philippians 3:20 - we look 1 Timothy 6:14 - until Titus 2:7 - sincerity Hebrews 5:14 - to discern 2 Peter 3:14 - in peace 1 John 2:10 - occasion of stumbling

Cross-References

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.

Deuteronomy 32:4
"The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness without iniquity (injustice), Just and upright is He.

Psalms 104:31
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; May the LORD rejoice and be glad in His works—

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That ye may approve things that are excellent,.... Or "try things that differ". There are some things that differ one from other; as morality and grace, earthly things, and heavenly things, carnal and spiritual, temporal and eternal things, law and Gospel, the doctrines of men, and the doctrines of Christ; all which differ as much as chaff and wheat, as gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay, stubble. These are to be tried and proved; they are not to be received without distinction, but should be examined, which is right and best to be chosen and preferred; and to such trial and examination it is necessary that a man should be transformed, by the renewing of his mind, that he should have spiritual light, knowledge, and experience, have his spiritual senses exercised to discern the difference of things, and also the guidance, direction, and influence of the Spirit of God: and this trial must be made, not according to carnal reason, and the judgment and dictates of it; for the most excellent things are above it, and out of its sphere, and therefore judged foolish, and rejected by it; but according to the word of God, the Scriptures of truth, in the light of the divine Spirit, and with spiritual judgment and sense; when some things will be found excellent, as Christ, and the knowledge of him in his person, offices, grace, righteousness, blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction, and the several truths of the Gospel relating to peace, pardon, justification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life; and of the several doctrines of the Gospel, some will appear in their nature and use more excellent than others, more grand and sublime; such as concern the sovereign and distinguishing grace of God, the glory of Christ, and the salvation of the elect; some being milk for babes, others meat for strong men. And these being tried and proved, first by the word of God, and then by the experience of the saints, are to be approved above thousands of gold and silver, and esteemed more than our necessary food; even the sincere milk of the word, as it is by newborn babes, as well as the strong meat of it by the adult, and all to be highly valued and abode by, and held fast.

That ye may be sincere; or "pure", as the Syriac version renders it; pure as the sun, discerned and judged by the light of it, as the word signifies, which discovers motes, faults, and flaws; in which, some think, is a metaphor taken either from the eagle, which holds up its young against the sun, and such as can bear the light of it she retains as her own, but such that cannot she rejects as a spurious brood; or from persons in business, who hold up the goods they are buying to the sun, to see if they can observe any fault in them: so such may be said to be sincere, or pure, who are pure in heart, life, and conversation, whose principles and practices will bear the test of light; such are sincere, who are like honey without wax, and fine flour without leaven, that have no mixture of corruption in doctrine, life, or manners; whose grace is genuine and right; whose faith is unfeigned; whose love to God, and Christ, and one another, is without dissimulation; whose hope is lively, and of a soul purifying nature, and is built on a good foundation; and whose repentance is attended with genuine effects, and proper fruits; whose principles are unmixed; who do not corrupt or adulterate the word of God, but desire and retain the sincere milk of it, and hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; whose worship is also pure and spiritual, who worship God in spirit and truth, under the influence, and by the assistance of the Spirit of God, and with their whole hearts and spirits, and according to the truth of the Gospel; who keep the ordinances as they were delivered, without any human inventions, corruptions, and mixtures; who are sincere in their hearts, pure and sound in heart, simple, plain hearted, and single eyed; choose to be good, rather than seem to be so; whose desires after God, and divine things, and whose affections for them, are true and real, and proceed from the bottom of their hearts; and who have their conversation in the world by the grace of God, in simplicity and godly sincerity; and such the apostle wishes these saints to be, and adds,

and without offence until the day of Christ; to God, as considered in the righteousness of Christ, in which they are perfectly without offence, and will always continue so; or in their walk and conversation before God, in which, though they may in many things offend, yet not be guilty of any notorious iniquity, and much less of living in it: and to themselves, to their own consciences, exercising a conscience void of offence towards God and men; acting according to that light they have received, and those principles they have embraced and professed; desiring to be kept from all evil, that it might not grieve and wound them; and doing nothing in things of an indifferent nature, with offence, or against the dictates of conscience, and to the violation of it: and also to others, to Jew or Gentile, to the world, or to the church of God, by avoiding every thing that is offensive to either; not good things, but evil ones, and those that are indifferent; that peace may be preserved, and their own good may not be evil spoken of; that the children of God may not be grieved, staggered, and stumbled, nor sinners hardened, or have any occasion to blaspheme. The phrase denotes an harmless life and conversation, and a continuance in it to the end, to the day of death, or coming of our Lord, which is to be loved, longed, wished, and looked for, and to be always had in view; and that to engage to a becoming life and conversation, with sincerity, and without offence, since in that day all hearts and actions will be exposed and laid open.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That ye may approve things - Margin, “Or, try.” The word used here denotes the kind of trial to which metals are exposed in order to test their nature; and the sense here is, that the apostle wished them so to try the things that were of real value, as to discern that which was true and genuine.

That are excellent - Margin: Or, “differ.” The margin here more correctly expresses the sense of the Greek word. The idea is, that he wished them to be able to distinguish between things that differed from each other; to have an intelligent apprehension of what was right and wrong - of what was good and evil. He would not have them love and approve all things indiscriminately. They should be esteemed according to their real value. It is remarkable here how anxious the apostle was not only that they should be Christians, but that they should be intelligent Christians, and should understand the real worth and value of objects.

That ye may be sincere - See the notes at Ephesians 6:24. The word used here - εἰλικρινής eilikrinēs - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in 2 Peter 3:1, where it is rendered “pure.” The noun εἰλικρίνεια eilikrineia, however, occurs in 1 Corinthians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 2:17; in all which places it is rendered “sincerity.” The word properly means, “that which is judged in sunshine” εἵλῃ κρίνω heilē krinō; and then “that which is clear and manifest.” It is that over which there are no clouds; which is not doubtful and dark; which is pure and bright. The word “sincere” means literally without wax (sine cera); that is, honey which is pure and transparent. Applied to Christian character, it means that which is not deceitful, ambiguous, hypocritical; that which is not mingled with error, worldliness, and sin; that which does not proceed from selfish and interested motives, and where there is nothing disguised. There is no more desirable appellation that can be given to a man than to say that he is sincere - a sincere friend, benefactor, Christian; and there is nothing more lovely in the character of a Christian than sincerity. It implies:

(1)That he is truly converted - that he has not assumed Christianity as a mask;

(2)That his motives are disinterested and pure;

(3)That his conduct is free from double-dealing, trick, and cunning;

(4)That his words express the real sentiments of his heart;

(5)That he is true to his word, and faithful to his promises; and,

(6)That he is always what he professes to be. A sincere Christian would bear to have the light let in upon him always; to have the emotions of his heart seen; to be scanned everywhere, and at all times, by people, by angels, and by God.

And without offence - Inoffensive to others. Not injuring them in property, feelings, or reputation. This is a negative virtue, and is often despised by the world. But it is much to say of a man that he injures no one; that neither by example, nor opinions, nor conversation, he leads them astray; that he never does injustice to their motives, and never impedes their influence; that he never wounds their feelings, or gives occasion for hard thoughts; and that he so lives that all may see that his is a blameless life.

Till the day of Christ - See the notes at Philippians 1:6.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent — Εις το δοκιμαζειν ὑμας τα διαφεροντα· To the end that ye may put to proof the things that differ, or the things that are in are more profitable. By the pure and abundant love which they received from God they would be able to try whatever differed from the teaching they had received, and from the experience they had in spiritual things.

That ye may be sincere — Ἱνα ητε ειλικρινεις. The word ειλικρινεια, which we translate sincerity, is compounded of ειλη, the splendour of the sun, and κρινω, I judge; a thing which may be examined in the clearest and strongest light, without the possibility of detecting a single flaw or imperfection. "A metaphor," says Mr. Leigh, "taken from the usual practice of chapmen, in the view and choice of their wares, that bring them forth into the light and hold up the cloth against the sun, to see if they can espy any default in them. Pure as the sun." Be so purified and refined in your souls, by the indwelling Spirit, that even the light of God shining into your hearts, shall not be able to discover a fault that the love of God has not purged away.

Our word sincerity is from the Latin sinceritas, which is compounded of sine, without, and cera, wax, and is a metaphor taken from clarified honey; for the mel sincerum, pure or clarified honey, is that which is sine cera, without wax, no part of the comb being left in it. Sincerity, taken in its full meaning, is a word of the most extensive import; and, when applied in reference to the state of the soul, is as strong as the word perfection itself. The soul that is sincere is the soul that is without sin.

Without offence — απροσκοποι. Neither offending God nor your neighbour; neither being stumbled yourselves, nor the cause of stumbling to others.

Till the day of Christ — Till he comes to judge the world, or, till the day in which you are called into the eternal world. According to this prayer, a man, under the power and influence of the grace of God, may so love as never to offend his Maker, to the latest period of his life. Those who deny this, must believe that the Spirit of God either cannot or will not do it; or, that the blood of Christ cannot cleanse from all unrighteousness. And this would be not only antiscriptural, but also blasphemous.