1 Corinthians 4:12

1 Corinthians 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
• New International Version (NIV)We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
• English Standard Version (ESV)and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
• New King James Version (NKJV)And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

Context of 1 Corinthians 4:12

10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage. 14I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.

1 Corinthians 4:12 word by word

καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• labourκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
• workingἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• with our ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• being reviledλοιδορέωloidoreō · to revileG3058
• we blessεὐλογέωeulogeō · to praise/blessG2127
• being persecutedδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• we suffer itἀνέχωanechomai · to endureG430

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:12

• 1 Corinthians 9:6Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?
• Acts 18:3and since they were of the same occupation, tentmakers by trade, he stayed with them and worked.
• Acts 20:34You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:8we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
• 1 Timothy 4:10For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
• Matthew 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
• Luke 6:28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
• Luke 23:34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.
• Acts 7:60He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.
• Romans 12:14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
• 1 Peter 2:23when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
• 1 Peter 3:9not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
• Jude 1:9Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
• Matthew 5:11“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.
• 1 Peter 3:14But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated,

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Working with our own hands - They were obliged to labor in order to supply themselves with the necessaries of life while preaching the Gospel to others. This, no doubt, was the case in every place were no Church had been as yet formed: afterwards, the people of God supplied their ministers, according to their power, with food and raiment. Being reviled, we bless, etc. - What a most amiable picture does this exhibit of the power of the grace of Christ! Man…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And labour … - This Paul often did. See the note at Acts 18:3; compare Acts 20:34; 1 Thessalonians 2:9. 2 Thessalonians 3:8. Being reviled - That they were often reviled or reproached, their history everywhere shows. See the Acts of the Apostles. They were reviled or ridiculed as Jews by the Gentiles; and jeered by all as “Nazarenes,” and as deluded followers of Jesus; as the victims of a foolish superstition and enthusiasm. We bless - We return good for…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 We have no reason to be proud; all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very absurd and inconsistent, if proud of the free gifts of God. St. Paul sets forth his own circumstances, ver. 9 Allusion is made to the cruel spectacles in the Roman games; where men were forced to cut one another to pieces, to divert the people; and where…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12We work hard with our own hands: To avoid accusations of taking money, Paul chose to support himself (1 Corinthians 9:3–18; Acts 18:3; 20:33–35). When we are vilified, we bless: Paul's response followed the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 5:44–45; compare Romans 12:14, 17–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. working with our own hands--namely, "even unto this present hour" (1Co 4:11). This is not stated in the narrative of Paul's proceedings at Ephesus, from which city he wrote this Epistle (though it is expressly stated of him at Corinth, compare Ac 18:3, 19). But in his address to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Ac 20:34), he says, "Ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities," &c. The undesignedness of the coincidence thus…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:12

• Forgiveness
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Persecution
• Self-Denial
• Suffering
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Account
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Instructor
• Offscouring
• Rod
• Shame
• Steward
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Forgiveness
• Paul, the Apostle

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