What Does Philippians 1:18 Mean in the King James?

What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Philippians 1:18 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The motive belongs to the messenger; the proclamation belongs to the one being proclaimed.

THE MEANING

You see the proclamation and the motives together: some speak from pretense, others from truth, yet the anointed one is proclaimed in both. Joy holds its place without pretending the motives are pure or that the difference between them is unimportant.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that a message becomes empty whenever it is carried by someone speaking from pretense. It does not make pretense truthful; the verse keeps the motive visible while naming what is still proclaimed.

THE ROOT

κηρύσσεται

kēryssetai

GROWS FROM

⁨κηρυκ-⁩ / ⁨κηρυσσ-⁩ (herald/proclaim word-family)

To proclaim publicly as a herald.

“preached” in this verse is kēryssetai. The verb presents Christ as the one being publicly announced; the proclamation is distinct from the herald’s private motive. The verse names pretense plainly while locating joy in what is being proclaimed.

ALSO GROWS

kēryx: A public messenger who announces a message.

κῆρυξ

The verb describes the herald’s act: making a declaration public.

kērygma: The message or announcement that is proclaimed.

κήρυγμα

This branch draws attention to the content being announced, which the verse distinguishes from the speaker’s motive.

Χριστός

Christos

GROWS FROM

⁨χριστ-⁩ (from ⁨χρίω⁩)

To anoint, or apply oil.

Christ means “the anointed one”; it is a title rooted in anointing, not a family surname. That keeps the verse’s joy attached to the one being proclaimed, distinct from the preacher’s character.

ALSO GROWS

chriō: To anoint or apply oil.

χρίω

This verb is the action carried in the title Christ.

chrisma: An anointing or anointing substance.

χρῖσμα

This related word makes the shared root visible: the one proclaimed is named through the act of anointing.

THE PATTERN

The truth or work carried by a message is not identical to the motives or merit of the person carrying it.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11 · KJVThe word’s work is measured by what it accomplishes, beyond the route by which it goes out.

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

Matthew 23:3 · KJVThe verse holds spoken teaching and the speaker’s own conduct apart, showing that they are not the same thing.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 · KJVThe work passes through different people, while its growth is not reducible to their individual merit.

THE THREAD

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1 Corinthians 1:23 · KJV

This verse uses the same Greek verb, ⁨κηρύσσω⁩ (kērýssō), “to proclaim publicly as a herald.” It makes the proclamation’s content specific, Christ crucified, while Philippians keeps that content distinct from the herald’s private motive.

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