Philippians 1:16

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;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
They are doing it out of love. They know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News.

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.

Hebrew Names Version
The former preach Messiah from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

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.

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:

English Standard Version
The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense 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.

English Revised Version
the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence 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.

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:

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;

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.

King James Version (1611)
The one preach Christ of contention, not syncerely, supposing to adde affliction to my bonds:

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;

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:

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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The one preache Christe of strife, not sincerely, supposyng to adde more affliction to my bondes:

Good News Translation
These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel.

Christian Standard Bible®
These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;

King James Version
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

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.

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:

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;

Simplified Cowboy Version
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.

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;

Contextual Overview

¹²Now I want you to know, believers, that what has happened to me [this imprisonment that was meant to stop me] has actually served to advance [the spread of] the good news [regarding salvation]. ¹³My imprisonment in [the cause of] Christ has become common knowledge throughout the whole praetorian (imperial) guard and to everyone else. ¹⁴Because of my chains [seeing that I am doing well and that God is accomplishing great things], most of the brothers have renewed confidence in the Lord, and have far more courage to speak the word of God [concerning salvation] without fear [of the consequences, seeing that God can work His good in all circumstances]. ¹⁵Some, it is true, are [actually] preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry [toward me—for no better reason than a competitive spirit or misguided ambition], but others out of goodwill and a loyal spirit [toward me]. ¹⁶The 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;¹⁷but the former preach Christ [insincerely] out of selfish ambition [just self-promotion], thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment. ¹⁸What then [does it matter]? So long as in every way, whether in pretense [for self-promotion] or in all honesty [to spread the truth], Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice [later as well], ¹⁹for I know [with confidence] that this will turn out for my deliverance and spiritual well-being, through your prayers and the [superabundant] supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ [which upholds me]. ²⁰It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

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

Genesis 1:7
And God made the expanse [of sky] and separated the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so [just as He commanded].

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse [of sky] heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place [of standing, pooling together], and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.

Genesis 1:12
The earth sprouted and abundantly produced vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, according to their kind; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be useful for signs (tokens) [of God's provident care], and for marking seasons, days, and years;

Deuteronomy 4:19
"And beware that you do not raise your eyes toward heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and let yourselves be led astray and worship them and serve them, [mere created bodies] which the LORD your God has allotted to [serve and benefit] all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Job 31:26
If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone Or the moon going in its splendor,

Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?

Psalms 8:3
When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established,

Psalms 19:6
The sun's rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

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.