God’s Word Translation
1 Corinthians 4:7
7Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren’t a gift?
1 Corinthians 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
- New International Version (NIV)For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
Context of 1 Corinthians 4:7
5Therefore, don’t judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will also bring to light what is hidden in the dark and reveal people’s motives. Then each person will receive praise from God. 6Brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself for your sake. You should learn from us not to go beyond what is written in Scripture. Then you won’t arrogantly place one of us in opposition to the other. Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren’t a gift? 8You already have what you want! You’ve already become rich! You’ve become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you. 9As I see it, God has placed us apostles last in line, like people condemned to die. We have become a spectacle for people and angels to look at.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 41 Corinthians 4:7 word by word
τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; τί δὲ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες, τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- makethδιακρίνωdiakrinō · to judge/doubtG1252
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- andδέde · thenG1161
- hast thouἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- thou didstλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- dost thou gloryκαυχάομαιkauchaomai · to boastG2744
- as ifὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- notμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 4:7
- 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But God’s kindness made me what I am, and that kindness was not wasted on me. Instead, I worked harder than all the others. It was not I who did it, but God’s kindness was with me.
- Romans 9:16Therefore, God’s choice does not depend on a person’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
- Ephesians 3:3You have heard that he let me know this mystery through a revelation. I’ve already written to you about this briefly.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:12Then everyone who did not believe the truth, but was delighted with what God disapproves of, will be condemned.
- 1 Timothy 1:12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord that he has trusted me and has appointed me to do his work with the strength he has given me.
- 1 Corinthians 3:5Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants who helped you come to faith. Each did what the Lord gave him to do.
- 1 Corinthians 7:7I would like everyone to be like me. However, each person has a special gift from God, and these gifts vary from person to person.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11Greatness, power, splendor, glory, and majesty are yours, Lord, because everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Lord, and you are honored as head of all things.
- 2 Chronicles 1:7That night God appeared to Solomon. He said, “What can I give you?”
- Proverbs 2:6The Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- Matthew 25:14“The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them.
- Luke 19:13⌞Before he left,⌟ he called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He said to his servants, ‘Invest this money until I come back.’
- John 1:16Each of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is.
- John 3:27John answered, “People can’t receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.
- Romans 1:5Through him we have received God’s kindness and the privilege of being apostles who bring people from every nation to the obedience that is associated with faith. This is for the honor of his name.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7For who maketh thee to differ - It is likely that the apostle is here addressing himself to some one of those puffed up teachers, who was glorying in his gifts, and in the knowledge he had of the Gospel, etc. As if he had said: If thou hast all that knowledge which thou professest to have, didst thou not receive it from myself or some other of my fellow helpers who first preached the Gospel at Corinth? God never spoke to thee to make thee an apostle. Hast…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For who maketh - This verse contains a reason for what Paul had just said; and the reason is, that all that any of them possessed had been derived from God, and no endowments whatever, which they had, could be laid as the foundation for self-congratulation and boasting. The apostle here doubtless has in his eye the teachers in the church of Corinth, and intends to show them that there was no occasion of pride or to assume pre-eminence. As all that they…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 We have no reason to be proud; all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very absurd and inconsistent, if proud of the free gifts of God. St. Paul sets forth his own circumstances, ver. 9 Allusion is made to the cruel spectacles in the Roman games; where men were forced to cut one another to pieces, to divert the people; and where…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Pride in a leader comes from not realizing that everything is a gift from God. We should feel humble gratitude instead.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Translate, "Who distinguisheth thee (above another)?" Not thyself, but God. glory, as if thou hadst not received it--as if it was to thyself, not to God, thou owest the receiving of it.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 4:7
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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