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

13each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

1 Corinthians 3:15 word by word

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

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• anyτιςtis · oneG5100
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• is burnedκατακαίωkatakaiō · to burnG2618
• up, he will sufferζημιόωzēmioō · to loseG2210
• but he himselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• will be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• yetδέde · thenG1161
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• as throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• fireπῦρpur · fireG4442

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:15

• 1 Corinthians 3:12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
• Revelation 3:18I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
• Acts 27:21When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.
• 2 John 1:8Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
• Amos 4:11“I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
• Zechariah 3:2The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
• 1 Peter 4:18And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?
• Jude 1:23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

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