Tree of Life Version
1 Corinthians 15:32
32If, for human reasons, I fought with “wild animals” at Ephesus, what good is that to me? If the dead are not raised, “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
1 Corinthians 15:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
- New International Version (NIV)If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
- New King James Version (NKJV)If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
Context of 1 Corinthians 15:32
30And why are we in danger every hour? 31I die every day—yes, as surely as the boast in you, brothers and sisters, which I have in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. If, for human reasons, I fought with “wild animals” at Ephesus, what good is that to me? If the dead are not raised, “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33Do not be deceived! “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34Come to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 151 Corinthians 15:32 word by word
εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ifεἰei · ifG1487
- after the mannerκατάkata · according toG2596
- of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- I have fought with beastsθηριομαχέωthēriomacheō · to fight beastsG2341
- atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- EphesusἜφεσοςEphesos · EphesusG2181
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- advantageth itὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- advantageth itὄφελοςophelos · gainG3786
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
- riseἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
- notοὐou · noG3756
- let us eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- to morrowαὔριονaurion · tomorrowG839
- we dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 15:32
- Romans 6:19I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you yielded your body parts as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, so now yield your body parts as slaves to righteousness, resulting in holiness.
- Galatians 3:15Brothers and sisters, I speak in human terms: even with a man’s covenant, once it has been confirmed, no one cancels it or adds to it.
- 2 Peter 2:12But these people are like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be captured and killed. They malign what they don’t understand, and in their destruction they will be utterly destroyed.
- Jude 1:10But these people slander whatever they do not understand. And whatever they do understand instinctively—like animals without reason—by these things they are destroyed.
- Acts 19:1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul traveled through the upper region and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples
- 2 Corinthians 1:8For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our trouble that happened in Asia. We were under great pressure—so far beyond our strength that we despaired even of living.
- Job 35:3For you ask, ‘What will it profit you?’ and ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
- Psalms 73:13Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence.
- Malachi 3:14You say: “Serving God is worthless.” Also: “What good is it that we kept His service or that we walked as mourners before Adonai-Tzva’ot?
- Luke 9:25“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?
- Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their labor. This too, I perceived, is from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young man, in your childhood, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
- Isaiah 22:13But instead, there is joy and gladness, slaughtering cattle and killing sheep, meat and drinking wine! “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!”
- Isaiah 56:12“Come, let’s get wine, let’s guzzle strong drink. Tomorrow will be like today, only even better!”
- Luke 12:19And I’ll say to myself, ’O my soul, you have plenty of goods saved up for many years! So take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry.”’
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32If, after the manner of men, etc. - Much learned criticism has been employed on this verse, to ascertain whether it is to be understood literally or metaphorically. Does the apostle mean to say that he had literally fought with wild beasts at Ephesus? or, that he had met with brutish, savage men, from whom he was in danger of his life? That St. Paul did not fight with wild beasts at Ephesus, may be argued, From his own silence on this subject, when…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 32If after the manner of men - Margin, “To speak after the manner of men” ( ̀ ̓́ kata anthrōpon). There has been a great difference of opinion in regard to the meaning of these words. The following are some of the interpretations proposed: (1) If I have fought after the manner of people, who act only with reference to this life, and on the ordinary principles of human conduct, as people fought with wild beasts in the amphitheater. (2) or if, humanly…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-34Verses 20-34 All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at his coming, his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus: Paul uses this phrase to describe his struggles with opponents in Ephesus (see 16:8; Acts 19:23–41; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 4:8–12; 11:23–28). Watching condemned prisoners fight wild beasts and get mauled to death was common entertainment in the Roman world.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3232. Punctuate thus: "If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink," &c. [Bengel]. If "merely as a man" (with the mere human hope of the present life; not with the Christian's hope of the resurrection; answering to "If the dead rise not," the parallel clause in the next sentence), I have fought with men resembling savage beasts. Heraclitus, of Ephesus, had termed his…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:32
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15
- 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
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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