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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Philippians 4:4

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Joy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Joy-Sorrow;   Paul;   Rejoicing;   The Topic Concordance - Rejoice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Conduct, Christian;   Joy;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joy;   Sorrow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fruit of the Spirit;   Paul the Apostle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Joy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Brothers;   Joy;   Philippians;   Wrath, Wrath of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joy;   Perfection;   Philippians, Epistle to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Cheerfulness ;   Joy;   Perseverance;   Philippians Epistle to the;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - In the Lord;   Joy;   Papyrus;   Philippians, the Epistle to;   Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for December 26;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 30;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
King James Version (1611)
Reioyce in the Lord alway: and againe I say, Reioyce.
King James Version
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
English Standard Version
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
New American Standard Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
New Century Version
Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Legacy Standard Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Berean Standard Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Contemporary English Version
Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad.
Complete Jewish Bible
Rejoice in union with the Lord always! I will say it again: rejoice!
Darby Translation
Rejoice in [the] Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Easy-to-Read Version
Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Reioyce in the Lorde alway, againe I say, reioyce.
George Lamsa Translation
Rejoice in our LORD alway; and again I say, Rejoice.
Good News Translation
May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice!
Lexham English Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.
Literal Translation
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, Rejoice!
Amplified Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice!
American Standard Version
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Bible in Basic English
Be glad in the Lord at all times: again I say, Be glad.
Hebrew Names Version
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
International Standard Version
Keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Keep on rejoicing!Romans 12:12; Philippians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; 1 Peter 4:13;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Rejoice in our Lord in all time, and again I say, Rejoice.
Murdock Translation
Rejoice ye in our Lord, at all times; and again I say, Rejoice.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Reioyce in the Lorde alway, and agayne I say reioyce.
English Revised Version
Rejoice in the Lord alway: again I will say, Rejoice.
World English Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice.
Weymouth's New Testament
Always be glad in the Lord: I will repeat it, be glad.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ioye ye in the Lord euere more; eft Y seie, ioye ye.
Update Bible Version
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Webster's Bible Translation
Rejoice in the Lord always: [and] again I say, Rejoice.
New English Translation
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!
New King James Version
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
New Living Translation
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
New Life Bible
Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy!
New Revised Standard
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I will say - rejoice!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice.
Revised Standard Version
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye and agayne I saye reioyce.
Young's Literal Translation
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Reioyce in the LORDE allwaye, & agayne I saye, Reioyse.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Rejoice in the Lord alway: I say it again, rejoice.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Keep your chins up! Celebrate God every single day for what he has done for you. I'll say it again, get glad about what you've got!

Contextual Overview

1 My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God. 2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn't want his children holding grudges. 3 And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you're right there to help them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life. 4Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! 6Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. 8Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rejoice: Philippians 3:1, Romans 12:12

alway: Psalms 34:1, Psalms 34:2, Psalms 145:1, Psalms 145:2, Psalms 146:2, Matthew 5:12, Acts 5:41, Acts 16:25, Romans 5:2, Romans 5:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 4:13

again: Philippians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 2 Corinthians 13:2, Galatians 1:8

Reciprocal: Leviticus 10:19 - should Leviticus 23:40 - rejoice Deuteronomy 12:7 - ye shall Deuteronomy 16:11 - General Deuteronomy 26:11 - rejoice Deuteronomy 27:7 - rejoice 1 Samuel 2:1 - My heart 1 Kings 8:66 - joyful 1 Chronicles 15:25 - with joy 2 Chronicles 6:41 - thy saints 2 Chronicles 7:10 - glad 2 Chronicles 29:30 - they sang 2 Chronicles 30:21 - great gladness Ezra 6:16 - with joy Nehemiah 12:27 - gladness Psalms 9:2 - I will be Psalms 32:11 - Be glad Psalms 33:1 - Rejoice Psalms 64:10 - righteous Psalms 89:16 - name Psalms 90:14 - that we Psalms 97:12 - Rejoice Psalms 100:2 - Serve Psalms 104:34 - I will be Ecclesiastes 3:12 - but Ecclesiastes 3:22 - nothing Song of Solomon 1:4 - we will be Isaiah 9:3 - they joy Isaiah 29:19 - rejoice Isaiah 58:14 - delight Isaiah 61:10 - will greatly Joel 2:23 - rejoice Habakkuk 3:18 - I will rejoice Zechariah 2:10 - and rejoice Zechariah 10:7 - their heart Luke 1:46 - General Acts 8:39 - and he Acts 16:34 - and rejoiced Romans 5:11 - but we Romans 14:17 - peace 2 Corinthians 6:10 - sorrowful 2 Corinthians 13:11 - farewell Galatians 1:9 - so Galatians 5:22 - love Philippians 1:26 - General Philippians 2:18 - do 1 Peter 1:6 - ye greatly 1 Peter 1:8 - believing

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and had Enoch. He then built a city and named it after his son, Enoch. Enoch had Irad, Irad had Mehujael, Mehujael had Methushael, Methushael had Lamech.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech married two wives, Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who live in tents and herd cattle. His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute. Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who worked at the forge making bronze and iron tools. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That's when God made a covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria—the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."
Numbers 16:35
Then God sent lightning. The fire cremated the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Numbers 18:17
"On the other hand, you don't redeem a firstborn ox, sheep, or goat—they are holy. Instead splash their blood on the Altar and burn their fat as a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God . But you get the meat, just as you get the breast from the Wave-Offering and the right thigh. All the holy offerings that the People of Israel set aside for God , I'm turning over to you and your children. That's the standard rule and includes both you and your children—a Covenant-of-Salt, eternal and unchangeable before God ."
Judges 6:21
The angel of God stretched out the tip of the stick he was holding and touched the meat and the bread. Fire broke out of the rock and burned up the meat and bread while the angel of God slipped away out of sight. And Gideon knew it was the angel of God! Gideon said, "Oh no! Master, God ! I have seen the angel of God face-to-face!"
1 Kings 18:38
Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
2 Chronicles 7:1
When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of God filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn't get in— God so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of God fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking God : Yes! God is good! His love never quits!
Hebrews 11:4
By an act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought, that made the difference. That's what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Rejoice in the Lord alway,.... This is a repetition of the exhortation in the preceding chapter; :-; with this addition "alway"; for there is always cause and matter for rejoicing in Christ, even in times of affliction, distress, and persecution; since he is always the same; his grace is always sufficient; his blood has a continual virtue in it, and always speaks for peace and pardon; his righteousness is an everlasting one, and so is his salvation, and such is his love; though some join this word with what follows,

[and] again, I say, rejoice; this is what was continually inculcated by him, as being of great importance and use for the comfort of believers, and the honour of Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rejoice in the Lord alway - see the notes at Philippians 3:1. It is the privilege of Christians to do this, not at certain periods and at distant intervals, but at all times they may rejoice that there is a God and Saviour; they may rejoice in the character, law, and government of God - in his promises, and in communion with him. The Christian, therefore, may be, and should be, always a happy man. If everything else changes, yet the Lord does not change; if the sources of all other joy are dried up, yet this is not; and there is not a moment of a Christian’s life in which he may not find joy in the character, law, and promises of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord alway — Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord. Genuine happiness is spiritual; as it can only come from God, so it infallibly tends to him. The apostle repeats the exhortation, to show, not only his earnestness, but also that it was God's will that it should be so, and that it was their duty as well as interest.


 
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