1 Corinthians 4:3

1 Corinthians 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
• New International Version (NIV)I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

Context of 1 Corinthians 4:3

1This is how you should think about us, who are leaders in the church. We are Christ's servants. God has also given a special job to us. We must explain his message to people so that they understand it. 2Anyone who has that kind of job must do what his master wants. That is the important thing. So what you think about me does not matter to me. What you decide, or what any human authority decides, is not important. I do not even try to decide about myself. 4I am sure in my own mind that I have not done anything wrong. But that does not make me right. Only the Lord himself can judge me. 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.

1 Corinthians 4:3 word by word

ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλάχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀνακριθῶ ἢ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακρίνω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• with meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• itεἰςeis · towardG1519
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a very small thingἐλάχιστοςelachistos · leastG1646
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I should be judgedἀνακρίνωanakrinō · to investigateG350
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• youσύsu · youG4771
• orἤē · orG2228
• man’sἀνθρώπινοςanthrōpinos · humanG442
• judgmentἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• yeaἀλλάalla · butG235
• notοὐδέoude · norG3761
• mine own selfἐμαυτοῦemautou emautō emauton · myselfG1683

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:3

• 1 Corinthians 2:15But we have God's Spirit with us. So we can understand the true value of all things. But other people cannot truly understand us, who belong to God.
• 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at how handsome or how tall Eliab is. I have not chosen him. The Lord does not look at people in the way that people do. People look at the face and body of a person. But the Lord sees what they are like inside.’
• John 7:24Do not quickly decide whether something is right or wrong just because of what you see. Instead, think about it carefully. Then you will judge in a right way.’
• 1 Corinthians 3:13One 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.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you - Those who preferred Apollos or Kephas before St. Paul, would of course give their reasons for this preference; and these might, in many instances, be very unfavourable to his character as a man, a Christian, or an apostle; of this he was regardless, as he sought not his own glory, but the glory of God in the salvation of their souls. Or of man's judgment - ̔ ̔, literally, or of man's day: but ̔…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3But with me - In my estimate; in regard to myself. That is, I esteem it a matter of no concern. Since I am responsible as a steward to my master only, it is a matter of small concern what men think of me, provided I have his approbation. Paul was not insensible to the good opinion of people. He did not despise their favor or court limit contempt. But this was not the principal thing which he regarded; and we have here a noble elevation of purpose and of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Paul's greatest wish was to be faithful to God. What people thought of him, including his own opinion, did not matter.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. it is a very small thing--literally, "it amounts to a very small matter"; not that I despise your judgment, but as compared with God's, it almost comes to nothing. judged ... of man's judgment--literally, "man's day," contrasted with the day (1Co 3:13) of the Lord (1Co 4:5; 1Th 5:4). "The day of man" is here put before us as a person [Wahl]. All days previous to the day of the Lord are man's days. Emesti translates the thrice recurring Greek for…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:3

• Uncharitableness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Account
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Instructor
• Offscouring
• Rod
• Shame
• Steward
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Daysman
• Eschatology of the New Testament

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