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English Standard Version

Philippians 2:15

that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adoption;   Character;   Commandments;   Holiness;   Influence;   Light;   Meekness;   Perfection;   Righteous;   Strife;   Wicked (People);   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Blameless;   Blamelessness;   Church;   Conduct, Christian;   Harmless;   Harmlessness;   Light, Spiritual;   Light-Darkness;   Radiancy;   Radiant Lives;   Sons;   The Topic Concordance - Children;   Light;   Murmuring;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Adoption;   Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God;   Character of Saints;   Light;   Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;   Pilgrims and Strangers;   Reproof;   Saints, Compared to;   Titles and Names of Saints;   Titles and Names of the Wicked;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Light;   Paul;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Blameless;   Immortality;   Light;   Paul the Apostle;   Thessalonians, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Church;   Obedience;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Son of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Candlestick;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Blemish;   Innocence, Innocency;   Perverse;   Philippians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Children (Sons) of God;   English Versions;   Light;   Philippians, Epistle to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Animals;   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Example;   Generation ;   Philippians Epistle to the;   Pre-Eminence ;   Quotations;   Sincerity;   Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Light;   Son;   29 Light Lamp Candle;   46 Blameless Unblameable Unreproveable without Spot;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Crooked;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Candlestick, the Golden;   Children of God;   Crooked;   Holding;   Light;   Pauline Theology;   Rebuke;   Shine;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 30;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
so that you will be blameless and pure, children of God without any fault. But you are living with evil people all around you, who have lost their sense of what is right. Among those people you shine like lights in a dark world,
Revised Standard Version
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that ye maye be fautelesse and pure and the sonnes of God with out rebuke in ye middes of a croked and a perverse nacion amonge which se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde
Hebrew Names Version
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
New American Standard Bible
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
New Century Version
Then you will be innocent and without any wrong. You will be God's children without fault. But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you, among whom you shine like stars in the dark world.
Update Bible Version
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
Webster's Bible Translation
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
World English Bible
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
That ye may be blameless and simple, the sons of God, unrebukable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world,
Weymouth's New Testament
so that you may always prove yourselves to be blameless and spotless--irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as heavenly lights in the world,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that ye be with out playnt, and symple as the sones of God, with out repreef, in the myddil of a schrewid nacioun and a weiward; among whiche ye schynen as yyueris of liyt in the world.
English Revised Version
that ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,
Berean Standard Bible
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
Contemporary English Version
Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything that they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world,
Amplified Bible
so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness],
American Standard Version
that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,
Bible in Basic English
So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
Complete Jewish Bible
so that you may be blameless and pure children of God, without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation , among whom you shine like stars in the sky,
Darby Translation
that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in [the] world,
International Standard Version
so that you may be blameless and innocent, God's children without any faults among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the worldDeuteronomy 32:5; Matthew 5:14,16, 45; Ephesians 5:1,8, 45; 1 Peter 2:12;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
that you may be perfect and without spot, as the pure children of Aloha, who dwell in a generation depraved and perverse; and be manifest among them as luminaries in the world,
Murdock Translation
that ye may be perfect and without blemish, as the sincere children of God, who are resident in a perverse and crooked generation; and that ye may appear among them as luminaries in the world;
King James Version (1611)
That yee may bee blamelesse and harmelesse, the sonnes of God, without rebuke, in the middes of a crooked and peruerse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world:
New Living Translation
so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
New Life Bible
In that way, you can prove yourselves to be without blame. You are God's children and no one can talk against you, even in a sin-loving and sin-sick world. You are to shine as lights among the sinful people of this world.
New Revised Standard
so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.
Geneva Bible (1587)
That ye may be blamelesse, & pure, and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middes of a naughtie and crooked nation, among whom yee shine as lights in the world,
George Lamsa Translation
That you may be sincere and blameless, like the innocent children of God, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In order that ye may become faultless and inviolate, children of God, blameless amidst a crooked and perverted generation, amongst whom ye appear as luminaries in the world,
Douay-Rheims Bible
That you may be blameless and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
That ye may be blamelesse and pure, the sonnes of God, without rebuke in the myddes of a croked and peruerse nation, among who shyne ye as lightes in the worlde,
Good News Translation
so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky,
Christian Standard Bible®
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,
King James Version
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Lexham English Bible
in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world,
Literal Translation
that you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without fault in the midst of a crooked generation, even having been perverted, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world,
Young's Literal Translation
that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God, unblemished in the midst of a generation crooked and perverse, among whom ye do appear as luminaries in the world,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that ye maye be fautles and pure, and the childre of God without rebuke, in the myddes of ye croked and peruerse nacion, amonge whom se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde,
Mace New Testament (1729)
that you may be without reproach, the inoffensive spotless children of God in the midst of a depraved and perverse generation (among whom you should shine as stars in the world,
New English Translation
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world
New King James Version
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Simplified Cowboy Version
In this way, you will become strong cowboys who will be admired and imitated. You will be true children of God without fault in front of a crooked world. You will shine bright like a campfire on a bald hill on a moonless night.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
Legacy Standard Bible
so that you will be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Contextual Overview

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

blameless: Luke 1:6, 1 Corinthians 1:8, Ephesians 5:27, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:7, Titus 1:6, 2 Peter 3:14

and: Matthew 10:16, Romans 16:19, Hebrews 7:26

harmless: or, sincere, Philippians 1:10

sons: Matthew 5:45, Matthew 5:48, Luke 6:35, 2 Corinthians 6:17, Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:7, 1 Peter 1:14-17, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 3:1-3

rebuke: 1 Timothy 5:14, 1 Timothy 5:20, Titus 2:10, Titus 2:15, Revelation 3:9

a crooked: Deuteronomy 32:5, Psalms 122:5, Matthew 17:17, Acts 20:30, 1 Peter 2:12

ye shine: or, shine ye, Isaiah 60:1, Matthew 5:14-16, John 5:35, Ephesians 5:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 7:1 - thee Genesis 13:7 - Canaanite Genesis 37:9 - stars Genesis 39:3 - saw that Exodus 34:35 - General Exodus 37:17 - the candlestick of Exodus 39:37 - even with Leviticus 24:2 - the lamps Numbers 14:2 - murmured Deuteronomy 2:4 - take ye 1 Samuel 25:7 - we hurt 1 Samuel 25:15 - very good 1 Chronicles 28:8 - in the sight 1 Chronicles 29:9 - David Psalms 125:5 - crooked Proverbs 2:15 - General Proverbs 4:18 - General Song of Solomon 2:2 - General Isaiah 11:9 - not hurt Isaiah 62:1 - the righteousness Daniel 6:4 - but Matthew 5:9 - for Matthew 5:16 - your light Matthew 25:1 - which Mark 4:21 - Is a Luke 3:14 - Do violence to no man Luke 8:16 - when Luke 11:33 - may see Luke 12:35 - your lights John 4:36 - he that reapeth receiveth Romans 2:19 - a light 1 Corinthians 5:10 - for 1 Corinthians 6:6 - brother 2 Corinthians 6:14 - and what Galatians 3:26 - General Ephesians 1:4 - without 1 Timothy 4:15 - that 1 Timothy 6:14 - unrebukeable 1 Peter 1:15 - so 2 John 1:8 - that we lose Revelation 1:20 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Job 31:33
if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
Psalms 128:2
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Ephesians 4:28
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That ye may be blameless,.... This, and what follows, show the end to be answered, by observing the above exhortation. This respects not their being blameless in the sight of God, which the saints are not in themselves, being not without sin, though they are, as considered in Christ, clothed with his righteousness, and washed in his blood; but their being blameless before men: and this may be understood both actively and passively; actively, that they might be without blaming others; some are so unhappy in their disposition and conduct, as to be always finding fault with, and blaming all persons they are concerned with, and all things in them, and done by them, right or wrong, without any just reason; and this ought not to be, and may be prevented by doing all things, as before directed: or passively, that they might not be blamed by others justly; for no man can escape the blame and censure of everyone; our Lord himself did not, nor this our apostle; but doing, as before exhorted to, will, in a great measure, preclude any just reason for blame and complaint: it is added,

and harmless; that is, that they might be, and appear to be so; harmless as doves, in imitation of Christ, who was holy in his nature, and harmless in his conversation, as his followers should be; doing no injury to any man's person or property, behaving in an inoffensive manner to all men, to Jew and Gentile, and to the church of God: it follows,

the sons of God; not that they might be sons by so doing; but be "as the sons of God", as the Syriac version renders it, be like them, and behave as such; for they were the sons of God already; not by creation only, as angels, and all men are, not merely by profession of religion, but by adopting grace; they were predestinated to the adoption of children, and were taken into this relation in the covenant of grace, Christ had redeemed them from under the law, that they might receive this blessing, and it was actually bestowed upon them by him in conversion: but the sense is, that they might appear to be the children of God, by acting as becomes such; not that they might appear so to themselves, for they were openly and manifestly to themselves the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, and through the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing to their spirits that they were in such a relation to God; but that they might appear so to others, that they were the adopted sons of God, and also begotten again by him, and made partakers of the divine nature; by their being followers of God as dear children, and by their being obedient ones to him in all holiness and godly conversation, yielding a ready and cheerful obedience to his will, without repining at it, or disputing about it; and to be

without rebuke; not without the rebuke of their heavenly Father, for whom he loves he rebukes, and every son that he receives into his family he scourges and chastises, not in wrath and anger, or with rebukes of fury, but of love; but without the rebuke of men, both of the churches and ministers of Christ, whose business it is to reprove and rebuke, publicly and privately, as cases and their circumstances require; and of the men of the world, who when they have any occasion, make use of it to speak reproachfully, as a railing Rabshakeh did, when it is a time of rebuke and blasphemy, and to be shunned and guarded against as much possible: especially since the saints live

in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation: or age and generation, as every age is; saints are like lilies in the valleys, liable to be trampled upon by the foot of every wild beast; like roses among thorns, to be scratched and torn; and like Lots in the midst of Sodom, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: the whole world lies in sin, and the saints are enclosed on every side with wicked men. Philippi, where these saints lived, was a place of wickedness, and so no doubt was the whole region of Macedonia; the inhabitants were evil for the most part; their ways were crooked, and their works perverse, being contrary to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; and therefore the following exhortation to the saints there was very suitable.

Among whom ye shine; or "shine ye", as it may be rendered,

as lights in the world. This world is, in a moral sense, what the original chaos was in a natural sense, covered with darkness; the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, of impiety and superstition, has spread itself over the far greater part of the world; the men of it are children of the night, and of darkness; their works are works of darkness, and they are going on in darkness, not knowing where they are going. The saints are the lights of the world, they were once darkness itself, but are made light in and by the Lord; they are called into marvellous light, and are filled with light spiritual and evangelical; they are like the moon and stars, that give light to the world in the night; and as they receive their light from the sun, and communicate it to the world, so do the saints receive theirs from Christ, the sun of righteousness, and show it forth to others, both by doctrine and practice: or rather the churches of Christ are as candlesticks, in which the light of the Gospel is put, and held forth to men, as follows, see Matthew 5:14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That ye may be blameless - That you may give no occasion for others to accuse you of having done wrong.

And harmless - Margin, “sincere.” The Greek word (ἀκέραιος akeraios) means properly that which is unmixed; and then pure, sincere. The idea here is, that they should be artless, simple, without guile. Then they would injure no one. The word occurs only in Matthew 10:16; Philippians 2:15, where it is rendered “harmless,” and Romans 16:19, where it is rendered “sincere”; see the Matthew 10:16 note, and Romans 16:19 note.

The sons of God - The children of God; a phrase by which true Christians were denoted; see the Matthew 5:45 note; Ephesians 5:1 note.

Without rebuke - Without blame; without giving occasion for anyone to complain of you.

In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation - Among those of perverted sentiments and habits; those who are disposed to complain and find fault; those who will take every occasion to pervert what you do and say, and who seek every opportunity to retard the cause of truth and righteousness. It is not certainly known to whom the apostle refers here, but it seems not improbable that he had particular reference to the Jews who were in Philippi. The language used here was employed by Moses Deuteronomy 32:5, as applicable to the Jewish people, and it is accurately descriptive of the character of the nation in the time of Paul. The Jews were among the most bitter foes of the gospel, and did perhaps more than any other people to embarrass the cause of truth and prevent the spread of the true religion.

Among whom ye shine - Margin, “or, shine ye.” The Greek will admit of either construction, and expositors have differed as to the correct interpretation. Rosenmuller, Doddridge and others regard it as imperative, and as designed to enforce on them the duty of letting their light shine. Erasmus says it is doubtful whether it is to be understood in the indicative or imperative. Grotius, Koppe, Bloomfield, and others regard it as in the indicative, and as teaching that they did in fact shine as lights in the world. The sense can be determined only by the connection; and in regard to it different readers will form different opinions. It seems to me that the connection seems rather to require the sense of duty or obligation to be understood. The apostle is enforcing on them the duty of being blameless and harmless; of holding forth the word of life; and it is in accordance with his design to remind them that they ought to be lights to those around them.

As lights in the world - The comparison of Christians with light, often occurs in the Scriptures; see at Matthew 5:14, note, 16, note. The image here is not improbably taken from light-houses on a seacoast. The image then is, that as those light-houses are placed on a dangerous coast to apprise vessels of their peril, and to save them from shipwreck, so the light of Christian piety shines on a dark world, and in the dangers of the voyage which we are making; see the note of Burder, in Ros. Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. That ye may be blameless — In yourselves, and harmless to others.

The sons of God — Showing by your holy conduct that ye are partakers of the Divine nature.

Without rebuke — Persons against whom no charge of transgression can justly be laid.

A crooked and perverse — Probably referring to the Jews, who were the chief opponents and the most virulent enemies which the Christian Church had.

Among whom ye shine — Be like the sun and moon; bless even the perverse and disobedient by your light and splendour. Let your light shine before men; some will walk in that light, and by its shining God will be glorified. It is evident that the apostle, by φωστηρες εν κοσμω, lights in the world, refers to the sun and moon particularly, and perhaps to the heavenly bodies in general.


 
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