1 Corinthians 3:5

1 Corinthians 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
• New International Version (NIV)What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
• New Living Translation (NLT)After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:5

3for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

1 Corinthians 3:5 word by word

Τί οὖν ἐστιν Ἀπολλῶς τί δέ ἐστιν Παῦλος; διάκονοι δι᾽ ὧν ἐπιστεύσατε, καὶ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ κύριος ἔδωκεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• andδέde · thenG1161
• ApollosἈπολλῶςApollōs · ApollosG625
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ye believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• gave toδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:5

• 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• Luke 1:2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
• Romans 10:14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
• 2 Corinthians 3:6who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
• 1 Corinthians 3:10According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
• Matthew 25:15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
• John 3:27John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
• Romans 12:3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
• 1 Peter 4:10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Ministers by whom ye believed - The different apostles who have preached unto you the word of life are the means which God has used to bring you to the knowledge of Christ. No one of those has either preached or recommended himself; they all preach and recommend Christ Jesus the Lord. Even as the Lord gave to every man? - Whatever difference there may be in our talents, it is of God's making; and he who knows best what is best for his Church, has…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Who then is Paul … - See the notes at 1 Corinthians 1:13. Why should a party be formed which should be named after Paul? What has he done or taught that should lead to this? What eminence has he that should induce any to call themselves by his name? He is on a level with the other apostles; and all are but ministers, or servants, and have no claim to the honor of giving names to sects and parties. God is the fountain of all your blessings, and whoever may…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily. Those who work hardest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9It is wrong to proudly identify as a follower of a human teacher because God does the real work of redemption. He deserves the honor. They are servants: See 2 Corinthians 4:5.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Who then--Seeing then that ye severally strive so for your favorite teachers, "Who is (of what intrinsic power and dignity) Paul?" If so great an apostle reasons so of himself, how much more does humility, rather than self-seeking, become ordinary ministers! Paul ... Apollos--The oldest manuscripts read in the reverse order, "Apollos," &c. Paul." He puts Apollos before himself in humility. but ministers, &c.--The oldest manuscripts have no "but." "Who…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:5

• Apollos
• Deacon
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Apollos
• Paul
• Paul, Saul
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Humility
• Minister
• Plant
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Paul, the Apostle

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