1 Corinthians 3:14

1 Corinthians 3:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
• New International Version (NIV)If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:14

12People may build on this foundation with gold, silver or valuable stones. Or they may build on it with wood, dry grass or leaves. 13One day, God will show clearly how good each builder's work is. God will put each person's work into a fire on that great day. The fire will show whether their work is good or bad. If the fire does not destroy the work, then that builder will receive good things from God. 15But if the fire destroys a builder's work, that person will lose everything. The person himself will be safe. But he will be like someone who has run through the fire to a safe place. 16You surely know that you are like God's special house. As God's people, God's Spirit lives in you.

1 Corinthians 3:14 word by word

εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον μενεῖ ὃ ἐποικοδόμησεν, μισθὸν λήμψεται·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• any man’sτιςtis · oneG5100
• workὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• abideμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he hath built thereuponἐποικοδομέωepoikodomeō · to build up/uponG2026
• he shall receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• a rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:14

• 1 Corinthians 3:8The person who plants and the person who gives water both have the same purpose. God will pay each person what is right for their work.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5So you should not decide about things before the time is right. Wait until the Lord comes again. He will show everything clearly. He will show the bad things that people have done secretly. He will show the secret purpose of people's thoughts. Then God will praise each person in a way that is right for them.
• Daniel 12:3People who are wise will shine like the bright sky. Those who help many people to do what is right will also shine brightly for ever. They will shine like the stars in the sky at night.
• Matthew 24:45Jesus then said, ‘You should be like a wise servant. Be someone that the master can trust. The master will choose a man like that. He will say to him, “Rule over my house and all my other servants. Give everyone their food to eat at the right time.”
• Matthew 25:21The master said to this servant, “You are a good servant and you have done really well. You were careful with a small amount of money. Now I will give you authority over many more things. I am really happy about this and I want you to be happy with me.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:19You are the people that make us very happy! We know that you will continue to trust God. So, when our Lord Jesus returns, we will be proud of you. You will be like a crown that he gives us when we stand in front of him.
• 2 Timothy 4:7I have worked to serve Christ well. I have finished everything that God wanted me to do. I am like a runner who has run to the end of the race. I have continued to believe God's true message.
• 1 Peter 5:1Now I want to say something to you who are leaders of the groups of believers. Like you, I am also a leader. I myself saw how people caused Christ to have great pain so that he died. One day people will see how great he really is. Then I will be among those people who join with him in heaven. So I say this to you who are leaders:
• Revelation 2:8‘Write this to the angel of the church at Smyrna: “This is the message to you from the one who is the first and the last. He was dead, but he became alive again.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14If any man's work abide - Perhaps there is here an allusion to the purifying of different sorts of vessels under the law. All that could stand the fire were to be purified by the fire; and those which could not resist the action of the fire were to be purified by water, Numbers 31:23. The gold, silver, and precious stones, could stand the fire; but the wood, hay, and stubble, must be necessarily consumed. So, in that great and terrible day of the Lord…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14If any man‘s work abide … - If it shall appear that he hast taught the true doctrines of Christianity, and inculcated right practices and views of piety, and himself cherished right feelings: if the trial of the great Day, when the real qualities of all objects shall be known, shall show this. He shall receive a reward - According to the nature of his work. See the note on 1 Corinthians 3:8. This refers, I suppose, to the proper rewards on the Day of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 The apostle was a wise master-builder; but the grace of God made him such. Spiritual pride is abominable; it is using the greatest favours of God, to feed our own vanity, and make idols of ourselves. But let every man take heed; there may be bad building on a good foundation. Nothing must be laid upon it, but what the foundation will bear, and what is of a piece with it. Let us not dare to join a merely human or a carnal life with a Divine…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15Some things people build on Christ's foundation will last. Others will burn in judgment (see Malachi 4:1). On judgment day, the work of each church teacher will be evaluated (see James 3:1; also Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Those with faithful teachings will earn a reward. Others will face great loss, not of salvation but of reward. They will be saved, but barely, like someone rescued through flames (see Amos 4:11; Zechariah 3:2; Jude 1:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. abide--abide the testing fire (Mt 3:11, 12). which he hath built thereupon--which he built on the foundation. reward--wages, as a builder, that is, teacher. His converts built on Christ the foundation, through his faithful teaching, shall be his "crown of rejoicing" (2Co 1:14; Php 2:16; 1Th 2:19).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:14

• Church
• Judgment
• Minister, Christian
• Responsibility

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Plant
• Build; Building
• Builder
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Immortal; Immortality
• Paul, the Apostle
• Sacrifice

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3

• 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
• 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