1 Corinthians 3:15

1 Corinthians 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
• New International Version (NIV)If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:15

13The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done. 14If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward. If his work is burned up, he will suffer ⌞the loss⌟. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire. 16Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him because God’s temple is holy. You are that holy temple!

1 Corinthians 3:15 word by word

εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, ζημιωθήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ σωθήσεται οὕτως δὲ ὡς διὰ πυρός.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• any man’sτιςtis · oneG5100
• workὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• shall be burnedκατακαίωkatakaiō · to burnG2618
• he shall suffer lossζημιόωzēmioō · to loseG2210
• butδέde · thenG1161
• he himselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• shall be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• fireπῦρpur · fireG4442

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:15

• 1 Corinthians 3:12People may build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw.
• Revelation 3:18I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.
• Acts 27:21Since hardly anyone wanted to eat, Paul stood among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. You would have avoided this disaster and loss.
• 2 John 1:8Be careful that you don’t destroy what we’ve worked for, but that you receive your full reward.
• Amos 4:11I destroyed some of you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning log snatched from a fire. And you still didn’t return to me, declares the Lord.
• Zechariah 3:2The Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, silence you, Satan! I, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn’t this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?”
• 1 Peter 4:18If it’s hard for the person who has God’s approval to be saved, what will happen to the godless sinner?
• Jude 1:23Save others by snatching them from the fire ⌞of hell⌟. Show mercy to others, even though you are afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss - If he have preached the necessity of incorporating the law with the Gospel, or proclaimed as a doctrine of God any thing which did not proceed from heaven, he shall suffer loss - all his time and labor will be found to be uselessly employed and spent. Some refer the loss to the work, not to the man; and understand the passage thus: If any man's work be burned, It shall suffer loss - much shall be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15If any man‘s work shall be burned - If it shall not be found to hear the test of the investigation of that Day - as a cottage of wood, hay, and stubble would not bear the application of fire. If his doctrines have not been true; if he has had mistaken views of piety; if he has nourished feelings which he thought were those of religion; and inculcated practices which, however well meant, are not such as the gospel produces; if he has fallen into error of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 The apostle was a wise master-builder; but the grace of God made him such. Spiritual pride is abominable; it is using the greatest favours of God, to feed our own vanity, and make idols of ourselves. But let every man take heed; there may be bad building on a good foundation. Nothing must be laid upon it, but what the foundation will bear, and what is of a piece with it. Let us not dare to join a merely human or a carnal life with a Divine…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15Some things people build on Christ's foundation will last. Others will burn in judgment (see Malachi 4:1). On judgment day, the work of each church teacher will be evaluated (see James 3:1; also Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Those with faithful teachings will earn a reward. Others will face great loss, not of salvation but of reward. They will be saved, but barely, like someone rescued through flames (see Amos 4:11; Zechariah 3:2; Jude 1:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. If ... be burnt--if any teacher's work consist of such materials as the fire will destroy [Alford]. suffer loss--that is, forfeit the special "reward"; not that he shall lose salvation (which is altogether a free gift, not a "reward" or wages), for he remains still on the foundation (1Co 3:12; 2Jo 6). saved; yet so as by fire--rather, "so as through fire" (Zec 3:2; Am 4:11; Jude 23). "Saved, yet not without fire" (Ro 2:27) [Bengel]. As a builder whose…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:15

• Church
• Judgment
• Minister, Christian
• Responsibility

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Fire
• Foundation
• Plant
• Build; Building
• Child-Bearing
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Forfeit
• Immortal; Immortality

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