Christian Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 4:7
7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?
1 Corinthians 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
- New International Version (NIV)For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
Context of 1 Corinthians 4:7
5So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. 6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another. For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? 8You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us — and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! 9For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 41 Corinthians 4:7 word by word
τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; τί δὲ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες, τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- makethδιακρίνωdiakrinō · to judge/doubtG1252
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- andδέde · thenG1161
- hast thouἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- thou didstλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- dost thou gloryκαυχάομαιkauchaomai · to boastG2744
- as ifὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- notμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:7
- 1 Corinthians 12:4Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
- Romans 9:16So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
- Ephesians 3:3The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:12so that all will be condemned — those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.
- 1 Timothy 1:12I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry —
- 1 Corinthians 3:5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.
- 1 Corinthians 7:7I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one person has this gift, another has that.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.
- 2 Chronicles 1:7That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask. What should I give you?”
- Proverbs 2:6For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- Matthew 25:14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
- Luke 19:13He called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and told them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’
- John 1:16Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness,
- John 3:27John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
- Romans 1:5Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles,
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7For who maketh thee to differ - It is likely that the apostle is here addressing himself to some one of those puffed up teachers, who was glorying in his gifts, and in the knowledge he had of the Gospel, etc. As if he had said: If thou hast all that knowledge which thou professest to have, didst thou not receive it from myself or some other of my fellow helpers who first preached the Gospel at Corinth? God never spoke to thee to make thee an apostle. Hast…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For who maketh - This verse contains a reason for what Paul had just said; and the reason is, that all that any of them possessed had been derived from God, and no endowments whatever, which they had, could be laid as the foundation for self-congratulation and boasting. The apostle here doubtless has in his eye the teachers in the church of Corinth, and intends to show them that there was no occasion of pride or to assume pre-eminence. As all that they…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. 7Pride in a leader comes from not realizing that everything is a gift from God. We should feel humble gratitude instead.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Translate, "Who distinguisheth thee (above another)?" Not thyself, but God. glory, as if thou hadst not received it--as if it was to thyself, not to God, thou owest the receiving of it.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:7
In the dictionaries
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
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