1 Corinthians 13:3

1 Corinthians 13:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
• New International Version (NIV)If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Context of 1 Corinthians 13:3

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit. 4Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 5It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.

1 Corinthians 13:3 word by word

κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυχήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
• I bestowψωμίζωpsōmizō · to feed/dole outG5595
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• goodsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• goodsὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• I giveπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• be burnedκαίωkaiō · to kindle/burnG2545
• andδέde · thenG1161
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• notμήmē · notG3361
• charityἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• it profiteth meὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
• nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:3

• Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.
• Matthew 23:5They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long.
• Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
• Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!”
• Luke 21:3He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.
• John 12:43For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
• Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.
• Philippians 1:15Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this.
• Matthew 7:22On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’
• John 13:37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!”
• John 15:13No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life for his friends.
• Acts 21:13Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
• Philippians 1:20My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.
• Philippians 2:3Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
• Isaiah 57:12I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor - This is a proof that charity, in our sense of the word, is not what the apostle means; for surely almsgiving can go no farther than to give up all that a man possesses in order to relieve the wants of others. The word , which we translate to feed the poor, signifies to divide into morsels, and put into the mouth; which implies carefulness and tenderness in applying the bounty thus freely given. And…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And though I bestow - The Greek word used here ́ psōmisōfrom ́ psaōto break off) meant properly to break off, and distribute in small portions; to feed by morsels; and may be applicable here to distributing one‘s property in small portions. Charity or alms to the poor, was usually distributed at one‘s gate Luke 16:20, or in some public place. Of course, if property was distributed in this manner, many more would be benefitted than if all were given to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3exult in the surrender of my body: Some manuscripts say sacrificed my body to be burned. A copyist could have easily changed the text by accident, as in Greek, the two readings differ by only one letter. It is unclear which reading is better. However, the manuscripts supporting the reading exult in instead of sacrificed are generally more reliable. I gain nothing: Even the most impressive sacrificial acts mean nothing if not motivated by love.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bestow ... goods ... poor--literally, "dole out in food" all my goods; one of the highest functions of the "helps" (1Co 12:28). give ... body to be burned--literally, "to such a degree as that I should be burned." As the three youths did (Da 3:28), "yielded their bodies" (compare 2Co 12:15). These are most noble exemplifications of love in giving and in suffering. Yet they may be without love; in which case the "goods" and "body" are given, but not the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:3

• Beneficence
• Charitableness
• Graces
• Liberality
• Love
• Martyrdom
• Persecution
• Poor
• Readings, Select
• Religion
• Righteousness
• Sanctification
• Uncharitableness
• Vanity
• Works
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Charity
• Childish
• Love
• Prophesy
• Tongues, Gift of
• Vaunt
• Abstinence
• Bestow
• Busybody
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13

• 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