1 Corinthians 4:8
in 1 Corinthians 4Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
KJV
Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary
13 notes on this verseNow ye are full,.... That is, in their own opinion: these words, and some following expressions, are an ironical concession.
This site's exposition
Already you have all you want
on 1 Corinthians 4:8-9
Paul turns to irony: Without us, you have become kings. The apostles are a spectacle to the whole world, like condemned men displayed at the end of the arena's procession.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
For, by this time, in this respect as well as others, "you are reigning in wealth and satiety" -not making inroads upon such sins as fasts diminish, nor feeling need of such revelations as xerophagies extort, nor apprehending such wars of your own as Stations dispel.
"Already ye are filled, already ye are rich:" that is, ye want nothing henceforth; ye are become perfect; ye have attained the very summit; ye stand, as ye think, in need of no one, either among Apostles or teachers. "Already ye are filled." And well saith he "already;" pointing out, from the time, the incredibility of their statements and their unreasonable notion of themselves. It was therefore in mockery that he said to them, "So quickly have ye come to the end;" which thing was impossible in the time: for all the more perfect things wait long in futurity: but to be "full" with a little betokens a feeble soul; and from a little to imagine one's self "rich," a sick and miserable one. For piety is an insatiable thing; and it argues a childish mind to imagine from just the beginnings that you have obtained the whole: and for men who are not yet even in the prelude of a matter, to be high-minded as if they had laid hold of the end. Then also by means of what followeth he puts them yet more out of countenance; for having said, "Already ye are full," he added, "ye are become rich, ye have reigned without us: yea and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you." Full of great austerity is the speech: which is why it comes last, being introduced by him after that abundance of reproof. For then is our admonition respected and easily received, when after our accusations we introduce our humiliating expressions. For this were enough to repress even the shameless soul and strike it more sharply than direct accusation, and correct the bitterness and hardened feeling likely to arise from the charge brought. It being certain that this more than anything else is the admirable quality of those arguments which appeal to our sense of shame, that they possess two contrary advantages. […]
"Know ye not that we are to judge angels? " Again, of how open censure (does) the free expression (find utterance), how manifest the edge of the spiritual sword, (in words like these): "Ye are already enriched! ye are already satiated! ye are already reigning!" and, "If any thinks himself to know, he knoweth not yet how it behaves him to know I" Is he not even then "smiting some one's face," in saying, "For who maketh thee to differ? What, moreover, hast thou which thou hast not received? Why gloriest thou as if thou have not received? " Is he not withal "smiting them upon the mouth," (in saying): "But some, in (their) conscience, even until now eat (it) as if (it were) an idol-sacrifice.
The Medieval Church2 voices
And he says this in the same disposition of spirit, showing their shamelessness as if to say: having been deemed worthy of such gifts, you do not want to allow us, who labored for your benefit, to share in them.
Oh, if only, he says, you reigned, that is, attained perfection! Then, lest the statement seem like mockery, he adds: "that we also might reign with you," that is, receive those very same blessings. For your glory is mine, because for every teacher the perfection …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, Already you are filled!, he mocks the pride of those who looked down on Christ's apostles: first, in general; then specifically. As to the first he does two things: first, he ridicules them for presuming too much on themselves; secondly, for …
Words inspired by indignation. So quickly, he says, you have acquired everything! You have need of nothing! You are already satiated; in a short time you have attained perfection and received all the wealth of knowledge and gifts! Perfection is attained in the age to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Now ye are full, says the apostle, in a beautiful gradation, ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings - A proverbial expression, denoting the most splendid and plentiful circumstances. Without any thought of us. And I would ye did reign - In the best sense: I would ye had attained the height of holiness.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Now ye - Corinthians are full of secular wisdom; now ye are rich, both in wealth and spiritual gifts; (1Co 14:26): ye have reigned as kings, flourishing in the enjoyment of these things, in all tranquillity and honor; without any want of us: and I would to God ye did reign, in deed, and not in conceit only, that we also, poor, persecuted, and despised apostles, might reign with you. - Whitby.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate, "Already ye are filled full (with spiritual food), already ye are rich, ye have seated yourselves upon your throne as kings, without us." The emphasis is on "already" and "without us"; ye act as if ye needed no more to "hunger and thirst after righteousness," and as if already ye had reached the "kingdom" for which Christians have to strive and suffer.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Now ye are full - It is generally agreed that this is spoken in irony, and that it is an indignant sarcasm uttered against the false and self-confident teachers in Corinth. The design is to contrast them with the apostles; to show how self-confident and vain the false teachers were, and how laborious and self-denying the apostles were; and to show to them how little claim they had to authority in the church, and the real claim which the apostles had from their self-denials and labors. The whole passage is an instance of most pungent and cutting sarcasm, and shows that there may be occasions when irony may be proper, though it should be rare. An instance of cutting irony occurs also in regard to the priests of Baal, in 1Ki 18:27. The word translated “ye are full” (κεκορεσμένοι kekoresmenoi) occurs only here, and in Act 27:38, “And when they had eaten enough.” It is usually applied to a feast, and denotes those who are satiated or satisfied. So here it means, “You think’ you have enough. You are satisfied with your conviction of your own knowledge, and do not feel your need of anything more.” Ye are rich - This is presenting the same idea in a different form. “You esteem yourselves to be rich in spiritual gifts, and graces, so that you do not feel the necessity of any more.” Ye have reigned as kings - This is simply carrying forward the idea before stated; but in the form of a climax. The first metaphor is taken from persons “filled with food;” the second from those who are so rich that they do not feel their lack of more; the third from those who are raised to a throne, the highest elevation, where there was nothing further to be reached or desired. […]
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἤδη | ede | Already | G2235 → | 61 times |
| κεκορεσμένοι | kekoresmenoi | satiated | G2880 → | |
| ἐστέ, | este | you are, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἤδη | ede | already | G2235 → | 61 times |
| ἐπλουτήσατε, | eploutesate | you have been enriched, | G4147 → | |
| χωρὶς | choris | apart from | G5565 → | 40 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐβασιλεύσατε· | ebasileusate | you reigned; | G936 → | 21 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὄφελόν | ophelon | I wish that | G3785 → | |
| γε | ge | really | G1065 → | 27 times |
| ἐβασιλεύσατε, | ebasileusate | you did reign, | G936 → | 21 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| συμβασιλεύσωμεν. | sumbasileusomen | may reign with. | G4821 → |
ἤδηAlready
edeG2235 →61 times
κεκορεσμένοιsatiated
kekoresmenoiG2880 →
ἐστέ,you are,
esteG1510 →2333 times
ἤδηalready
edeG2235 →61 times
ἐπλουτήσατε,you have been enriched,
eploutesateG4147 →
χωρὶςapart from
chorisG5565 →40 times
ἡμῶνus
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἐβασιλεύσατε·you reigned;
ebasileusateG936 →21 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὄφελόνI wish that
ophelonG3785 →
γεreally
geG1065 →27 times
ἐβασιλεύσατε,you did reign,
ebasileusateG936 →21 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
συμβασιλεύσωμεν.may reign with.
sumbasileusomenG4821 →
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
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 think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure…
it leads to
- Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- Philippians 2:3–8
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
- Galatians 6:3
Through
1 Corinthians 1:5For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, so that through us your giving will produce thanksgiving to God.
- 2 Corinthians 8:7
But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
- Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- 2 Corinthians 9:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 12; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Tertullian, On Fasting; Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.