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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:5

3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? 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. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

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 nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
• Luke 1:2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
• Romans 10:14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
• 2 Corinthians 3:6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 4:5For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
• 1 Corinthians 3:10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
• Matthew 25:15To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
• John 3:27To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.
• Romans 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
• 1 Peter 4:10Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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