American Standard Version
1 Corinthians 13:3
3And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
- New International Version (NIV)If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:3
1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 4Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13:3 word by word
κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυχήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.¶Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:3
- Matthew 6:1Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 23:5But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
- Luke 18:22And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
- Luke 19:8And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.
- Luke 21:3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:
- John 12:43for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God.
- Galatians 5:26Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.
- Philippians 1:15Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
- Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.
- Matthew 7:22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?
- John 13:37Peter saith unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee even now? I will lay down my life for thee.
- John 15:13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
- Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
- Philippians 1:20according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
- Philippians 2:3doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;
- Isaiah 57:12I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor - This is a proof that charity, in our sense of the word, is not what the apostle means; for surely almsgiving can go no farther than to give up all that a man possesses in order to relieve the wants of others. The word , which we translate to feed the poor, signifies to divide into morsels, and put into the mouth; which implies carefulness and tenderness in applying the bounty thus freely given. And…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And though I bestow - The Greek word used here ́ psōmisōfrom ́ psaōto break off) meant properly to break off, and distribute in small portions; to feed by morsels; and may be applicable here to distributing one‘s property in small portions. Charity or alms to the poor, was usually distributed at one‘s gate Luke 16:20, or in some public place. Of course, if property was distributed in this manner, many more would be benefitted than if all were given to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3exult in the surrender of my body: Some manuscripts say sacrificed my body to be burned. A copyist could have easily changed the text by accident, as in Greek, the two readings differ by only one letter. It is unclear which reading is better. However, the manuscripts supporting the reading exult in instead of sacrificed are generally more reliable. I gain nothing: Even the most impressive sacrificial acts mean nothing if not motivated by love.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bestow ... goods ... poor--literally, "dole out in food" all my goods; one of the highest functions of the "helps" (1Co 12:28). give ... body to be burned--literally, "to such a degree as that I should be burned." As the three youths did (Da 3:28), "yielded their bodies" (compare 2Co 12:15). These are most noble exemplifications of love in giving and in suffering. Yet they may be without love; in which case the "goods" and "body" are given, but not the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13
- 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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries