1.22 Greeks, Gentiles (v. 23).
1.23 Stumbling block, lit. “scandal.”
1.24 The called, those converted to the gospel; see also vv. 2, 26; Rom 8.28. Both Jews and Greeks. See 12.13; Rom 1.16.
1.26 Of noble birth, lit. “well-born,” members of families privileged with wealth and status.
1.30 God’s own righteousness is bestowed as believers are “justified” (put right with God) through Christ; see 6.11; Rom 3.21–26; 5.17–21. Sanctification. See v. 2. Redemption, to be reclaimed for one’s appropriate relationship with God, as a slave is freed from a master or prisoners of war are freed from their captors (sometimes for a price, 6.19–20; 7.23); see also Rom 3.24; 8.23.
1.31 Jer 9.24. See also 15.31.
1 Corinthians 2
Proclaiming Christ Crucified
1When I came to you, brothers and sisters,a I did not come proclaiming the mysteryb of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,c but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
The True Wisdom of God
6Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. 7But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.d
14Those who are unspirituale do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.
16“For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
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a Gk brothers
b Other ancient authorities read testimony
c Other ancient authorities read the persuasiveness of wisdom
d Or interpreting spiritual things in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual
e Or natural
2.1–5 Paul reminds the Corinthians of their first hearing of the gospel; see also 15.1–2.
2.1 When I came to you, at first; see Introduction. The mystery of God, the gospel, which seems like foolishness to nonbelievers (1.18–21; see also 2.6–8).
2.4 Paul’s speech was not ornamented like that of the popular orators of the day; see 1.17; 2 Cor 10.10; also Ex 4.10–11 (Moses). With a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Cf. 1.23–24; 1 Thess 1.5, 6.
2.6–16 The foolishness of the gospel (1.21) is now identified with the deepest wisdom.
2.6 The mature. Cf. Paul’s description of the Corinthians as infants in 3.1–2. The rulers of this age, either earthly, political rulers or the cosmic powers hostile to God (see 15.24–26).
2.7 Secret and hidden, lit. “in a mystery, hidden,” yet in some sense disclosed in the gospel; see v. 1; 4.1. Before the ages, before creation, from eternity. Our glory looks ahead to the fullness of salvation, which, according to Paul, will be granted only after this age has passed away; see, e.g., Rom 5.2; 8.18–21; 2 Cor 3.18; 1 Thess 2.12.
2.8 Paul refers to Christ as the Lord of glory only here.
2.9 The source of this quotation is not known; but see Isa 64.4; 52.15. Love him. See also 8.3.
2.12 We have received…the Spirit, either at the first hearing of the gospel (e.g., vv. 4–5; Gal 3.2–3) or at baptism (1 Cor 12.13; cf. 2 Cor 1.22), or perhaps both. The gifts bestowed on us by God, all that God has given (see 4.7), not just special gifts like speaking in tongues.
2.13 And we speak…by the Spirit. See v. 4.
2.14 The gifts of God’s Spirit. See v. 12.
2.16 For who…instruct him? Isa 40.13, cited also in Rom 11.34; Wis 9.13. Paul speaks of the mind of Christ only here, but see Rom 8.9; Gal 4.6; Phil 1.19.
1 Corinthians 3
On Divisions in the Corinthian Church
1And so, brothers and sisters,a I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?
5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—13the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.
16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?b 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,
“He catches the wise in their craftiness,”
20and again,
“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile.”
21So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
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a Gk brothers
b In verses 16 and 17 the Greek word for you is plural
3.1–23 Paul now returns to the specific issue of disunity and rivalries within the congregation (see 1.10–17), a major concern throughout this Letter.
3.1 Spiritual people, those who are informed by the Spirit that is from God (2.12). People of the flesh, those who are misled by the spirit of the world (2.12).
3.2 With milk, perhaps as a nursing mother; see 1 Thess 2.7. Paul’s concern is similarly expressed in 14.20 (see also 13.11).
&n
bsp; 3.3 Jealousy and quarreling. See 1.10–11.
3.4 I belong to Paul. See 1.12.
3.5 Servants, of God, as in 2 Cor 6.4. Elsewhere the Greek word (diakonos) is translated as “minister(s)” (e.g., 2 Cor 3.6) or “deacon(s)” (Rom 16.1; Phil 1.1). The Lord, more likely God (see vv. 6, 9) rather than Christ.
3.6 I planted, a metaphor for Paul’s missionary preaching in Corinth; see also 2.1–5; 4.15; 9.1–2, 11; 15.1. Apollos watered. See Acts 18.24–19.1.
3.8 The wages will be paid at the final judgment; see also vv. 12–15.
3.9 Working together, lit. “fellow workers” (NRSV has added the word servants), either fellow workers for God or fellow workers with God.
3.10 The grace of God, manifested in Paul’s conversion and call to apostleship; see also 15.9–10; Rom 1.5; 12.3; 15.15; Gal 1.15; 2.9. I laid a foundation, a second metaphor for preaching the gospel in Corinth; see also note on 3.6.
3.13 The Day, of final judgment, as in 1.7–8; see also 5.5. Revealed with fire, an image for God’s eschatological judgment, drawn from the apocalyptic tradition (e.g., Mal 3.2–3; cf. Mt 3.10–12).
3.14 Reward, rendered wages in v. 8.
3.15 Only as through fire probably means “just barely” (see Am 4.11; Zech 3.2; Jude 23).
3.16 You are God’s temple describes the Corinthian congregation as a whole; see also 2 Cor 6.16; Ezek 37.26–28; cf. 1 Cor 6.19.
3.17 Holy. See note on 1.2.
3.18 This appeal is based on the argument developed in 1.18–25.
3.19 Paul quotes Job 5.12–13.
3.20 Ps 94.11.
3.22 Paul or Apollos or Cephas. See 1.12. Life or death or the present or the future. See also Rom 8.38. Paul envisions the ultimate destruction of death; see 1 Cor 15.26; see also 15.54–55.
3.23 You belong to Christ. See 6.19–20; 7.22–23; also 1.9. Christ belongs to God. See 11.3; 15.28.
1 Corinthians 4
The Ministry of the Apostles
1Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. 4I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.
6I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, brothers and sisters,a so that you may learn through us the meaning of the saying, “Nothing beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7For who sees anything different in you?b What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?
8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you! 9For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. 10We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, 12and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
Fatherly Admonition
14I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me. 17For this reason I sentc you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18But some of you, thinking that I am not coming to you, have become arrogant. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power. 21What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
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a Gk brothers
b Or Who makes you different from another?
c Or am sending
4.1–13 Here, as in 1.10–17; ch. 3, Paul attempts to counteract the rivalries and jealousies that have developed in the Corinthian congregation.
4.1 Servants, or “helpers” (“attendant” in Lk 4.20). In 3.5 servants translates a different Greek word. Stewards, or “managers” the word was often used, as in Lk 12.42–48, of the slave who supervised household business. See also Gal 4.2 (translated “guardians”); 1 Pet 4.10. God’s mysteries, as disclosed in the gospel; see 2.1, 6–16; also 13.2.
4.4–5 The Lord, Christ. Concerning the final judgment, see esp. 3.12–15; 5.5, 13; 6.2, 9–10. Disclose the purposes of the heart. Cf. 14.25; 2 Cor 4.2; Rom 2.16.
4.6 Apollos. See 1.12. Nothing beyond what is written. How Paul wishes to apply the slogan remains unclear.
4.7 Everything, even life itself, is to be received as God’s gift; see also 2.12; 3.21–22.
4.8–10 Paul writes with irony, critical of the Corinthians’ presumptuous claims about their religious status. Cf. vv. 18–19; 5.2; 8.1; 13.4.
4.9 Spectacle evokes the image of prisoners of war being publicly vilified in an outdoor theater.
4.10 Fools for the sake of Christ, because they proclaim the cross, 1.18–25; 3.18–20.
4.11–13 Similar lists of hardships appear in 2 Cor 4.8–9; 6.4–5; 11.23–29; 12.10; Rom 8.35.
4.12 When reviled, we bless perhaps echoes the saying attributed to Jesus in Lk 6.28; see also Rom 12.14.
4.14–21 The appeals begun in 1.10 are concluded, and the Corinthians are alerted to Timothy’s coming and to Paul’s own later visit.
4.14–15 Paul can claim paternity because he had founded the church in Corinth (3.6; 9.1–2; see also 1 Thess 2.11–12).
4.16 Be imitators of me. See also 11.1; Gal 4.12; Phil 3.17; 4.9; 1 Thess 1.6–7; 2 Thess 3.6–13.
4.17 Timothy, one of Paul’s closest associates (e.g., Acts 16.1–3; 1 Thess 3.2), had helped found the Corinthian church (2 Cor 1.19). He has probably been dispatched to Corinth in advance of this Letter (16.10–11); but if the verb sent is interpreted am sending (see text note c), Timothy is about to leave with the Letter.
4.18–19 Paul nowhere names these arrogant people. He may actually have the whole congregation in mind. I will come to you soon. See 16.5–9.
4.20 The kingdom of God. See also 6.9–10; 15.24, 50; Rom 14.17; Gal 5.21; 1 Thess 2.12.
4.21 With a stick, as a disciplinarian; see also 2 Cor 10.2–6; 12.21; 13.1–3, 10. With love in a spirit of gentleness. See Gal 6.1.
1 Corinthians 5
Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?
3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment 4in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing.a When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.b
6Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are u
nleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Sexual Immorality Must Be Judged
9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons—10not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sisterc who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 13God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”
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a Or on the man who has done such a thing in the name of the Lord Jesus
b Other ancient authorities add Jesus
c Gk brother
5.1–8 The apostle now deals with a specific case involving a member (never named) of the Corinthian church.
5.1 Reported, lit. “it has been heard,” as distinguished from received in writing. Sexual immorality translates a term sometimes rendered fornication, as in 6.13, 18; Gal 5.19; 1 Thess 4.3. Pagans, gentile nonbelievers. Living with, engaging in sex with. Father’s wife, an idiom referring to one’s stepmother.
5.2 Mourned, grieved over the immorality of a fellow Christian.
5.4 Assembled, perhaps for the weekly congregational meal and worship; see 11.17–22.
5.5 Hand…over to Satan, put out of the church (see vv. 2, 13). Satan, a name used by both Jews and Christians for the personification of evil; see also 7.5; Rom 16.20; 2 Cor 2.11; 11.14; 12.7; 1 Thess 2.18; 2 Thess 2.9. The flesh, either a literal reference to the immoral man’s physical body or a figurative reference to his evil desires. It is thus difficult to know what Paul expects will result from the punishment he is recommending. The day of the Lord. See 3.13.
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