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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Context of 1 Corinthians 13:3

1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 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. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

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 practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
• Matthew 23:5“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
• Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
• Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
• Luke 21:3“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
• John 12:43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
• Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
• Philippians 1:15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
• Matthew 7:22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
• John 13:37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
• John 15:13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
• Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
• Philippians 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
• Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
• Isaiah 57:12I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit 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