1 Corinthians 4:5

1 Corinthians 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore 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 his commendation from God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Context of 1 Corinthians 4:5

3But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself. 4I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me. So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 6Now I have applied these things [that is, the analogies about factions] to myself and Apollos for your benefit, believers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written [in Scripture], so that none of you will become arrogant and boast in favor of one [minister or teacher] against the other. 7For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?

1 Corinthians 4:5 word by word

ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ κύριος, ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν· καὶ τότε ὁ ἔπαινος γενήσεται ἑκάστῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• judgeκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• ·τιςtis · oneG5100
• nothingμήmē · notG3361
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• the timeκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• bothκαίkai · andG2532
• will bring to lightφωτίζωphōtizō · to illuminateG5461
• the hidden thingsκρυπτόςkruptos · hiddenG2927
• of darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
• will make manifestφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
• the counselsβουλήboulē · planG1012
• of the heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• shallγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• praiseἔπαινοςepainos · praiseG1868
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:5

• Matthew 7:1“ Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly].
• Luke 6:37“ Do not judge [others self-righteously], and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change].
• Romans 2:1Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce].
• Romans 14:4Who are you to judge the servant of another? Before his own master he stands [approved] or falls [out of favor]. And he [who serves the Master—the Lord] will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
• James 4:11Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks [self-righteously] against a brother or judges his brother [hypocritically], speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it.
• 1 Corinthians 1:7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift [which comes from the Holy Spirit], as you eagerly wait [with confident trust] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ [when He returns].
• 1 Corinthians 11:26For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are [symbolically] proclaiming [the fact of] the Lord’s death until He comes [again].
• 1 Corinthians 15:23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected with incorruptible, immortal bodies] at His coming.
• Matthew 24:30And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor].
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord is coming just as a thief [comes unexpectedly and suddenly] in the night.
• James 5:7So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.
• 2 Peter 3:4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming [what has become of it]? For ever since the fathers fell asleep [in death], all things have continued [exactly] as they did from the beginning of creation.”
• Jude 1:14It was about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, when he said, “Look, the Lord came with myriads of His holy ones
• Revelation 1:7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. So it is to be. Amen.
• 1 Corinthians 3:13each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young man, in your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant in the days of your young manhood. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the desires of your eyes, but know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Judge nothing before the time - God, the righteous Judge, will determine every thing shortly: it is his province alone to search the heart, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness. If you be so pure and upright in your conduct, if what you have been doing in these divisions, etc., be right in his sight, then shall you have praise for the same; if otherwise, yourselves are most concerned. Some refer the praise to St. Paul and his companions: Then…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Therefore - Inview of the danger of being deceived in your judgment, and the impossibility of certainly knowing the failings of the heart. Judge nothing - Pass no decided opinion; see the note at Matthew 7:1. The apostle here takes occasion to inculcate on them an important lesson - one of the leading lessons of Christianity - not to pass a harsh opinion on the conduct of any man, since there are so many things that go to make up his character which we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5judge nothing: Only the Lord can truly know a person's heart. When he returns, he will judge. Paul took God's judgment of his ministry very seriously (see 2 Corinthians 5:9–10; Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20; compare 2 Corinthians 1:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Disproving the judicial power claimed by the Romish priesthood in the confessional. Therefore--as the Lord is the sole Decider or Dijudicator. judge--not the same Greek word as in 1Co 4:3, 4, where the meaning is to approve of or decide on, the merits of one's case. Here all judgments in general are forbidden, which would, on our part, presumptuously forestall God's prerogative of final judgment. Lord--Jesus Christ, whose "ministers" we are (1Co 4:1)…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:5

• Charitableness
• Darkness
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judgment
• Secret
• Uncharitableness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Account
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Instructor
• Judgment, The final
• Offscouring
• Rod
• Shame
• Steward

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings