English Standard Version
1 Corinthians 13:3
3If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
- New International Version (NIV)If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:3
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13:3 word by word
κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυχήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
- I bestowψωμίζωpsōmizō · to feed/dole outG5595
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- goodsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- goodsὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- I giveπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
- bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- be burnedκαίωkaiō · to kindle/burnG2545
- andδέde · thenG1161
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- notμήmē · notG3361
- charityἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- it profiteth meὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
- nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:3
- Matthew 6:1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 23:5They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
- Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
- Luke 19:8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
- Luke 21:3And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.
- John 12:43for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
- Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
- Philippians 1:15Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.
- Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Matthew 7:22On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
- John 13:37Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
- John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
- Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
- Philippians 1:20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
- Philippians 2:3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
- Isaiah 57:12I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor - This is a proof that charity, in our sense of the word, is not what the apostle means; for surely almsgiving can go no farther than to give up all that a man possesses in order to relieve the wants of others. The word , which we translate to feed the poor, signifies to divide into morsels, and put into the mouth; which implies carefulness and tenderness in applying the bounty thus freely given. And…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And though I bestow - The Greek word used here ́ psōmisōfrom ́ psaōto break off) meant properly to break off, and distribute in small portions; to feed by morsels; and may be applicable here to distributing one‘s property in small portions. Charity or alms to the poor, was usually distributed at one‘s gate Luke 16:20, or in some public place. Of course, if property was distributed in this manner, many more would be benefitted than if all were given to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3exult in the surrender of my body: Some manuscripts say sacrificed my body to be burned. A copyist could have easily changed the text by accident, as in Greek, the two readings differ by only one letter. It is unclear which reading is better. However, the manuscripts supporting the reading exult in instead of sacrificed are generally more reliable. I gain nothing: Even the most impressive sacrificial acts mean nothing if not motivated by love.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bestow ... goods ... poor--literally, "dole out in food" all my goods; one of the highest functions of the "helps" (1Co 12:28). give ... body to be burned--literally, "to such a degree as that I should be burned." As the three youths did (Da 3:28), "yielded their bodies" (compare 2Co 12:15). These are most noble exemplifications of love in giving and in suffering. Yet they may be without love; in which case the "goods" and "body" are given, but not the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries