1 Corinthians 15:32

1 Corinthians 15:32 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
• New International Version (NIV)If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
• New Living Translation (NLT)And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Context of 1 Corinthians 15:32

30Why are we in danger every hour? 31I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 33Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." 34Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:32 word by word

εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• after the mannerκατάkata · according toG2596
• of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• I have fought with beastsθηριομαχέωthēriomacheō · to fight beastsG2341
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• EphesusἜφεσοςEphesos · EphesusG2181
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• advantageth itὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• advantageth itὄφελοςophelos · gainG3786
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• riseἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
• notοὐou · noG3756
• let us eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• to morrowαὔριονaurion · tomorrowG839
• we dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 15:32

• Romans 6:19I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
• Galatians 3:15To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
• 2 Peter 2:12But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction,
• Jude 1:10But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
• Acts 19:1And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
• 2 Corinthians 1:8For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.
• Job 35:3that you ask, 'What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?'
• Psalms 73:13All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
• Malachi 3:14You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?
• Luke 9:25For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
• Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
• Isaiah 22:13and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
• Isaiah 56:12"Come," they say, "let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure."
• Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32If, after the manner of men, etc. - Much learned criticism has been employed on this verse, to ascertain whether it is to be understood literally or metaphorically. Does the apostle mean to say that he had literally fought with wild beasts at Ephesus? or, that he had met with brutish, savage men, from whom he was in danger of his life? That St. Paul did not fight with wild beasts at Ephesus, may be argued, From his own silence on this subject, when…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 32If after the manner of men - Margin, “To speak after the manner of men” ( ̀ ̓́ kata anthrōpon). There has been a great difference of opinion in regard to the meaning of these words. The following are some of the interpretations proposed: (1) If I have fought after the manner of people, who act only with reference to this life, and on the ordinary principles of human conduct, as people fought with wild beasts in the amphitheater. (2) or if, humanly…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-34Verses 20-34 All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at his coming, his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus: Paul uses this phrase to describe his struggles with opponents in Ephesus (see 16:8; Acts 19:23–41; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 4:8–12; 11:23–28). Watching condemned prisoners fight wild beasts and get mauled to death was common entertainment in the Roman world.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3232. Punctuate thus: "If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink," &c. [Bengel]. If "merely as a man" (with the mere human hope of the present life; not with the Christian's hope of the resurrection; answering to "If the dead rise not," the parallel clause in the next sentence), I have fought with men resembling savage beasts. Heraclitus, of Ephesus, had termed his…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:32

• Animals
• Body
• Epicureans
• Games
• Gladiator
• Gluttony
• Immortality
• Quotations and Allusions
• Resurrection
• Sensuality
• Worldliness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Ephesus
• Ephesus, Ephesian
• Adam
• Awake
• Beast
• Corrupt
• Corruptible
• Die
• Differ
• Flesh

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15

• 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
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings