1 Corinthians 4:15

1 Corinthians 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
• New International Version (NIV)Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Context of 1 Corinthians 4:15

13When people say bad things against us, we answer with kind words. We have become like dirty things that people throw away. That is still true, even today. 14I do not write these things to make you ashamed. You are like my own children that I love. So I want to teach you what is right. When I told the good news about Jesus Christ to you, I became like a father for you. You may have ten thousand teachers to help you understand the message about Christ. But I am the only person who is like a father for you. 16That is why I want you to copy my example. 17To help you to do that, I have sent Timothy to visit you. He is like a son to me, and I love him very much. He continues to serve the Lord well. He will help you to remember how I live as a Christian. I teach the same things to all groups of Christians everywhere.

1 Corinthians 4:15 word by word

ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
• ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• ten thousandμύριοιmurioi · myriadG3463
• instructorsπαιδαγωγόςpaidagōgos · guardianG3807
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• yetἀλλάalla · butG235
• notοὐou · noG3756
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• have begottenγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• youσύsu · youG4771
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the gospelὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:15

• 2 Timothy 4:3Do this, because a time will come when people will not listen to God's true message. Instead, they will want to hear all kinds of new messages that will make them happy. So they will find many teachers for themselves who will tell them what they want to hear.
• 1 Corinthians 3:6When I told you God's good news, I was like someone who planted seeds. Then Apollos was like someone who gave water to the young plants. But it was God who caused everything to grow.
• 1 Corinthians 9:1I am a free man. I am an apostle. I have seen Jesus, our Lord. You yourselves are the result of the work that I do to serve the Lord. You know that is all true.
• Acts 18:4Every Jewish day of rest, Paul taught both Jews and Greek people in the Jewish meeting place. He wanted them all to believe the good news about Jesus.
• Romans 15:20I want to go to places where nobody has ever told people about Christ before. I want to tell the good news to people in those places. That is what I have always wanted to do. I do not want to work in a place where someone else has already started to teach God's message.
• 2 Corinthians 3:1We do not need any more to show that our work is good. Some people need to have letters from other people to say that they do good work. We do not need to show you letters like that. Nor do we need you to write a letter like that for us.
• Galatians 4:19My children, I feel like a mother who is giving birth to you again. I will continue to feel that kind of pain until you become more completely like Christ.
• Philemon 1:10So I am asking you to help Onesimus, who is like my own child. I taught him about Jesus while I was in prison. Because of that, he now has life with God. I am like his father.
• James 1:18He chose to make us his children. He used his true message to do that. Because of that, we are like the first special gift that belongs to him from among everything that he has made.
• 1 Peter 1:23You now have a new life! It is not like a human life that quickly comes to an end. It is a new life that will never spoil. You received it because you believed God's message. That message continues for ever and it does not change.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15For though ye have ten thousand instructers - , Myriads of leaders, that is, an indefinite multitude; for so the word is often used. The , from which we have our word pedagogue, which we improperly apply to a school master, was among the Greeks, the person or servant who attended a child, had the general care of him, and who led him to school for the purpose of being instructed by the , or teacher. It seems there were many at Corinth who offered their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15For though ye have ten thousand instructors - Though you may have or though you should have. It matters not how many you have, yet it is still true that I only sustain the relation to you of spiritual father, and whatever respect it is proper for you to have toward them, yet there is a special right which I have to admonish you, and a special deference which is due to me, from my early labors among you, and from the fact that you are my spiritual…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 In reproving for sin, we should distinguish between sinners and their sins. Reproofs that kindly and affectionately warn, are likely to reform. Though the apostle spoke with authority as a parent, he would rather beseech them in love. And as ministers are to set an example, others must follow them, as far as they follow Christ in faith and practice. Christians may mistake and differ in their views, but Christ and Christian truth are the same…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16As their spiritual father who first shared the good news about Jesus, Paul shows his true concern for their well-being (see 1 Thessalonians 2:11–12). As his beloved children, they should listen to him and follow his example and teachings (see 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 4:12; Philippians 3:17; 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. ten thousand--implying that the Corinthians had more of them than was desirable. instructors--tutors who had the care of rearing, but had not the rights, or peculiar affection, of the father, who alone had begotten them spiritually. in Christ--Paul admits that these "instructors" were not mere legalists, but evangelical teachers. He uses, however, a stronger phrase of himself in begetting them spiritually, "In Christ Jesus," implying both the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:15

• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Christ, Jesus
• Account
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Instructor
• Offscouring
• Rod

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