King James Version
1 Corinthians 15:32
32If 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.
1 Corinthians 15:32 in other versions
- 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- 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
30And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 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. 33Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 151 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
- 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 speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
- Galatians 3:15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
- 2 Peter 2:12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
- Jude 1:10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
- Acts 19:1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
- 2 Corinthians 1:8For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
- Job 35:3For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
- Psalms 73:13Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
- Malachi 3:14Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
- Luke 9:25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
- Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
- Isaiah 22:13And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.
- Isaiah 56:12Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and 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
In the dictionaries
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
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