1 Corinthians 1:4
in 1 Corinthians 1I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;
KJV
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 1
Commentary
12 notes on this versePaul does not just give thanks for the Corinthians some of the time, nor only when they do good. He puts himself in the position of a father, who is thankful for his children all the time, whatever they may have done.
This site's exposition
I always thank my God for you
on 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
Paul gives thanks before naming any fault, for the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus. He names gifts of all speech and all knowledge, the same gifts corrected in chapters 12 to 14.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
God has decreed that a person who believes in Christ can be saved without works. By faith alone he receives the forgiveness of his sins.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 166 · Written before 458.
proposed
Paul takes care to sweeten their ears before starting to admonish them. What he says is true, however: He gives thanks to God because of the gifts which have been given to them.
That which he exhorts others to do, saying, "Let your requests with thanksgiving be made known unto God," the same also he used to do himself: teaching us to begin always from these words, and before all things to give thanks unto God. For nothing is so acceptable to God as that men should be thankful, both for themselves and for others wherefore also he prefaces almost every Epistle with this. But the occasion for his doing so is even more urgent here than in the other Epistles. For he that gives thanks, does so, both as being well off, and as in acknowledgment of a favor: now a favor is not a debt nor a requital nor a payment: which indeed every where is important to be said, but much more in the case of the Corinthians who were gaping after the dividers of the Church. "Unto my God." Out of great affection he seizes on that which is common, and makes it his own; as the prophets also from time to time use to say, "O God, my God;" and by way of encouragement he incites them to use the same language also themselves. For such expressions belong to one who is retiring from all secular things, and moving towards Him whom he calls on with so much earnestness: since he alone can truly say this, who from things of this life is ever mounting upwards unto God, and always preferring Him to all, and giving thanks continually, not only for the grace already given, but whatever blessing hath been since at any time bestowed, for this also he offereth unto Him the same praise. Wherefore he saith not merely, "I give thanks," but "at all times, concerning you;" instructing them to be thankful both always, and to no one else save God only. "For the grace of God." Seest thou how from every quarter he draws topics for correcting them? For where "grace" is, "works" are not; where "works," it is no more "grace." If therefore it be "grace," why are ye high-minded? […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
"I give thanks unceasingly." He teaches us to be thankful. He does this in almost every epistle; but now he speaks of thankfulness especially fittingly. For thankfulness is for a benefaction, and a benefaction is neither a debt nor a recompense. Consequently, by this too …
Then when he says, I give thanks to God, he begins his message: first, he gives thanks for their blessings, so that they will more easily bear the correction of their faults; secondly, he begins to instruct them (v. 10). As to the first he …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I thank my God always on your behalf,.... Now follows a thanksgiving for various blessings bestowed upon this church, which is a proof of the apostle's great affection for it, and how much its welfare lay at his heart. The object of thanksgiving is God, for as he is the author of all mercies, the glory and praise of them ought to be given to him.
He is the great procurer and disposer of the favours of God. Those who are united to him by faith, and made to partake of his Spirit and merits, are the objects of divine favour.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He puts the causes for praise and hope among them in the foreground, not to discourage them by the succeeding reproof, and in order to appeal to their better selves. my God-- (Ro 1:8; Php 1:3). always--(Compare Php 1:4). the grace . . . given you--(Compare 1Co 1:7). by . . . Christ--literally, "IN Jesus Christ" given you as members in Christ.
For the grace - which is given you - Not only their calling to be saints, and to be sanctified in Christ Jesus; but for the various spiritual gifts which they had received, as specified in the succeeding verses.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I thank my God ... - No small part of this Epistle is occupied with reproofs for the disorders which had arisen in the church at Corinth. Before proceeding, however, to the specific statement of those disorders (1Co 1:10 ff), the apostle commends them for the attainments which they had really made in divine knowledge, and thus shows that he was disposed to concede to them all that he could. It was no part of the disposition of Paul to withhold commendation where it was due. On the contrary, as he was disposed to be faithful in reproving the errors of Christians, he was no less disposed to commend them when it could be done; compare the note at Rom 1:8. A willingness to commend those who do well is as much in accordance with the gospel, as a disposition to reprove where it is deserved; and a minister, or a parent, may frequently do as decided good by judicious commendation as by reproof, and much more than by fault-finding and harsh crimination. On your behalf - In respect to you; that God has conferred these favors on you. For the grace of God - On account of the favors which God has bestowed on you through the Lord Jesus. Those favors are specified in the following verses. For the meaning of the word “grace,” see the note at Rom 1:7.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εὐχαριστῶ | eucharisto | I thank | G2168 → | 38 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πάντοτε | pantote | always | G3842 → | |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | for | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χάριτι | chariti | grace | G5485 → | 153 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| τῇ | tea | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δοθείσῃ | dotheise | having been given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
ΕὐχαριστῶI thank
eucharistoG2168 →38 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷGod
theoG2316 →1312 times
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
πάντοτεalways
pantoteG3842 →
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐπὶfor
epiG1909 →883 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
χάριτιgrace
charitiG5485 →153 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
τῇwhich
teaG3588 →19766 times
δοθείσῃhaving been given
dotheiseG1325 →412 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 14:26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
it leads to
- John 15:26
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
- 1 Corinthians 2:10–13
But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
- 1 John 2:27
And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all…
- John 16:7
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send…
- John 15:26
Through
John 14:16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
it leads to
- John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 16:7–15
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send…
- Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- John 14:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.2.1-15; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 166; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.