Paul's Profanity - Sailor's Language in the New Testament? Yes
Philippians chapter 3 is a very uplifting chapter. Paul describes his previous life and how he had considered works of the flesh to be his righteousness. He talks about how he has left everything for the Gospel and even considers what he’s lost as nothing compared to the glory of Christ which he has been given. It’s a beautiful passage for certain, that is, until you read it in the original Greek and find that it’s highly offensive. Here’s the passage as it’s translated in the NIV.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…
–Philippians 3:8
Isn’t that nice? Paul considers the things he’s lost as rubbish. The Greek word translated as “rubbish” is skybalon, but that’s not the most accurate translation of the Greek. Skybalon is a dirty word in Greek, and our lovely wholesome translators have really dulled the translation down. …