1 Corinthians 9:24
Don’t you know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one wins the prize? So then, run to win!
The first verse I found today came with a prayer typed out below the verse. It can be read in the picture above.
Verse 24 is a great verse we American Christians love to quote. We almost never read (or quote) the verse that follows:
1 Corinthians 9:25
Now every athlete in training submits himself to strict discipline, and he does it just to win a laurel wreath that will soon wither away. But we do it to win a crown that will last forever.
We do not like the strict discipline, we just want to ask God to do it for us. The prayer above skips verse 25 and then essentially prays verse 26 and then never mentions verse 27 that talks about “treating my body hard” and making it a “slave”.
The second verse is found in Ephesians:
Ephesians 4:26
Be angry, but don’t sin *—don’t let the sun go down before you have dealt with the cause of your anger;
Notice the wording is different from the same verse as quoted in the picture and the quote from the Complete Jewish Bible. (Author is unsure of which version the picture quotes.) The more literal translation is almost stating to get angry, but not sin. Many American Christians would say that getting angry is the sin. The Bible states when angry, deal with it properly. Also notice the passage in the picture ends with a period. The quote from the Complete Jewish Bible (and other translations) ends with a semi-colon. Unfortunately, there are now many adult age Americans that do not know the difference. The semi-colon dictates that the words (next verse) that follow, are tied to the words preceding the semi-colon. Verse 27 states, “otherwise you leave room for the Adversary.” The next question would be, who is this “Adversary” and why is the word capitalized? The word is capitalized because it is a proper noun and is representing Satan. Again, there are many Christians today that do not want to admit a literal Satan or Hell. We do not like to deal with those subjects, we only want the “positive side” of the Bible. Just as the Bible tells us to work hard to discipline our bodies, it also tells us to work hard to know what the Bible says.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
