1 Corinthianschapter 16
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Speaks with:Romans 16×52 Corinthians 8×3Romans 15×3Ephesians 6×31 Corinthians 4×3Acts 15×2
Summary
Chapter summary
The collection for the saints. Upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store. Paul's travel plan: through Macedonia to them, perhaps wintering. A great door and effectual is opened unto him at Ephesus, and there are many adversaries. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Henry reads the chapter as the apostle's closing. Practical, pastoral, pointed to Christ.
Context
Epistle · Paul — 1 Corinthians overview
- A. 1–4 Set Something Aside Every First Day
- B. 5–9 A Wide Door — and Many Adversaries
- C. 10–12 Receive Timothy Without Fear
- D. 13–24 Watch, Stand Fast, Let All Be Done in Love
The outline
A.Set Something Aside Every First Dayvv. 1 to 4
Read vv. 1 to 4 →B.A Wide Door — and Many Adversariesvv. 5 to 9
Read vv. 5 to 9 →C.Receive Timothy Without Fearvv. 10 to 12
Read vv. 10 to 12 →D.Watch, Stand Fast, Let All Be Done in Lovevv. 13 to 24
Read vv. 13 to 24 →
The world behind this chapter
1 Corinthians 16The history
The collection for the believers in Jerusalem was an organized, multi-church effort, and Paul gives Corinth the same instructions he had given Galatia. Each person is to set something aside on the first day of every week, in proportion to income, so that no hurried gathering happens when he arrives.
That weekly rhythm is itself a detail worth noticing: the first day of the week is already the assumed marker of Christian life.
Carrying money across the empire was risky and reputationally dangerous. Paul's plan to send the gift with approved men, carrying letters, and possibly to travel with them himself, is the ancient equivalent of an audit trail — a man handling other people's money made sure witnesses went with it.
His travel plans run on the sailing season and on opportunity: staying in Ephesus until Pentecost because a wide door has opened and there are many adversaries, then coming through Macedonia, perhaps wintering in Corinth. Winter closed the sea, so a visitor stayed put for months.
The letter ends with a greeting in his own hand, a mark of authenticity after a secretary's writing, and an Aramaic phrase, Maranatha — "our Lord, come" — preserved untranslated in a Greek-speaking church.
What it meant to them
For the Corinthians, the chapter turned a long correction into ordinary obedience: put money aside, receive Timothy without making him afraid, submit to households like Stephanas who had devoted themselves to serving the saints.
The closing commands are short and blunt after fifteen chapters of argument — be watchful, stand firm, act like men, be strong, let all you do be done in love.
Sources cited
- F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on 1 Corinthians 16. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.