For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Parallel translations
- WEB For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,
- KJV (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
- NKJV For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
- NASB For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
- NLT For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Many live as enemies of Christ's cross, and Paul warns of them with tears. False or fleshly living grieves the apostle's heart.
Overview
Paul weeps because these are not mere abstractions but people whose lives oppose the cross, possibly professing believers or false teachers. The cross demands self-denial and dependence on grace; to live for the flesh is to set oneself against it. His tears show that doctrinal warning flows from pastoral love, not harshness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Eph 4:17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
- Isa 8:11For this is what the LORD has spoken to me with a strong hand, instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:
- Gal 6:12Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
- Jer 13:17But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
- Gal 2:14When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
- Gal 1:7which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
- 1 Th 4:6and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
- 2 Pet 2:10Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
- Eph 5:5–6For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Phil 1:4In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,
- Phil 1:15–16It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
- Acts 20:30–31Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
- Gal 2:21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
- Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
- Luke 19:41As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
- 1 Cor 1:18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- Gal 5:21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- 2 Cor 2:4For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
- 2 Cor 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- 1 Cor 6:9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
- Rom 9:2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
- 2 Cor 11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?
- Acts 20:19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
- 2 Th 3:11Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies.
- Jer 9:1Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.
- Jude 1:13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
- Ps 119:136My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
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The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.
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Original language
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