1 Corinthians 3:5

1 Corinthians 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
• New International Version (NIV)What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
• English Standard Version (ESV)What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:5

3for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? 4For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human? What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. 7So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

1 Corinthians 3:5 word by word

Τί οὖν ἐστιν Ἀπολλῶς τί δέ ἐστιν Παῦλος; διάκονοι δι᾽ ὧν ἐπιστεύσατε, καὶ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ κύριος ἔδωκεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• andδέde · thenG1161
• ApollosἈπολλῶςApollōs · ApollosG625
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ye believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• gave toδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:5

• 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1One should think about us this way – as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• Luke 1:2like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning.
• Romans 10:14How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?
• 2 Corinthians 3:6who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.
• 1 Corinthians 3:10According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
• Matthew 25:15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
• John 3:27John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
• Romans 12:3For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.
• 1 Peter 4:10Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Ministers by whom ye believed - The different apostles who have preached unto you the word of life are the means which God has used to bring you to the knowledge of Christ. No one of those has either preached or recommended himself; they all preach and recommend Christ Jesus the Lord. Even as the Lord gave to every man? - Whatever difference there may be in our talents, it is of God's making; and he who knows best what is best for his Church, has…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Who then is Paul … - See the notes at 1 Corinthians 1:13. Why should a party be formed which should be named after Paul? What has he done or taught that should lead to this? What eminence has he that should induce any to call themselves by his name? He is on a level with the other apostles; and all are but ministers, or servants, and have no claim to the honor of giving names to sects and parties. God is the fountain of all your blessings, and whoever may…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily. Those who work hardest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9It is wrong to proudly identify as a follower of a human teacher because God does the real work of redemption. He deserves the honor. They are servants: See 2 Corinthians 4:5.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Who then--Seeing then that ye severally strive so for your favorite teachers, "Who is (of what intrinsic power and dignity) Paul?" If so great an apostle reasons so of himself, how much more does humility, rather than self-seeking, become ordinary ministers! Paul ... Apollos--The oldest manuscripts read in the reverse order, "Apollos," &c. Paul." He puts Apollos before himself in humility. but ministers, &c.--The oldest manuscripts have no "but." "Who…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:5

• Apollos
• Deacon
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Apollos
• Paul
• Paul, Saul
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Humility
• Minister
• Plant
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Paul, the Apostle

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