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:
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:
- BSB For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as 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 4:17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
- Isa 8:11For Yahweh spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
- Gal 6:12As many as desire to look good in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
- Jer 13:17But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock is taken captive.
- Gal 2:14But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
- Gal 1:7and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
- 1 Th 4:6that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
- 2 Pet 2:10but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;
- Eph 5:5–6Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
- Phil 1:4always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy,
- Phil 1:15–16Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
- Acts 20:30–31Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
- Gal 2:21I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”
- Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Luke 19:41When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,
- 1 Cor 1:18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
- Gal 5:21envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
- 2 Cor 2:4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.
- 2 Cor 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.
- 1 Cor 6:9Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
- Rom 9:2that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
- 2 Cor 11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?
- Acts 20:19serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;
- 2 Th 3:11For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.
- Jer 9:1Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
- Jude 1:13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.
- Ps 119:136Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law. TZADI
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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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