New King James Version
1 Corinthians 13:3
3And 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.
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 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
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 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. 4Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 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“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 23:5But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
- Luke 18:22So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
- Luke 19:8Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
- Luke 21:3So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;
- John 12:43for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
- Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
- Philippians 1:15Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:
- Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Matthew 7:22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
- John 13:37Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
- John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
- Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
- Philippians 1:20according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
- Philippians 2:3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
- Isaiah 57:12I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries