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1 Corinthians 1:16

in 1 Corinthians 1

Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

KJV

And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

This verse in 1 Corinthians 1

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1274.

Then when he says, I baptized also, he mentions the others he had baptized, lest anything less than the truth appear in his words; hence he adds: I baptized also the household of Stephanas. Then because man's memory is unreliable in regard to particular facts, …

This site's exposition

I thank God that I baptized

on 1 Corinthians 1:14-16

Paul is glad, in hindsight, that he personally baptized so few at Corinth, only Crispus and Gaius and the household of Stephanas, lest any should say he had baptized in his own name and fed the very factionalism he is correcting. Verse sixteen's afterthought, besides, I know not whether I baptized any other, shows an apostle unconcerned to keep a tally of converts credited to himself. The bench reads the whole passage as Paul defusing, by his own example, the cult of personality his converts had built around baptizing ministers.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 3 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Then, having abashed those who were unsound in this respect and subjoining, "I baptized also the house of Stephanas," he again drags down their pride, saying besides, "I know not whether I baptized any other." For by this he signifies that neither did he seek much to enjoy the honor accruing hereby from the multitude, nor did he set about this work for glory's sake.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

"I also baptized the household of Stephanas." That is, all who were in the house of Stephanas. He was a great and most illustrious man in Corinth. "And whether I baptized anyone else, I do not know." For me, he says, it is so unflattering …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And I also baptized the household of Stephanas,.... The same name with "Stephanios", or "Stephanio" in Pliny (e). Before he says he had baptized none but Crispus and Gaius; but recollecting things, he corrects himself, and observes, that he had also baptized the household of Stephanas, who by the Greek writers is thought to be the same with the jailer baptized by the apostle at Philippi, but was now removed from thence to Corinth, and was become a famous and useful man there.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The manner wherein he preached the gospel, and the different success of it, with an account how admirably it was fitted to bring glory to God and beat down the pride and vanity of men,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The household of Stephanas - From 1Co 16:15, we learn that the family of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, probably converted and baptized by the apostle himself. Epenetus is supposed to be one of this family. See the note on Rom 16:5. I know not whether I baptized any other - I do not recollect that there is any person now residing in Corinth, or Achaia, besides the above mentioned, whom I have baptized. It is strange that the doubt here expressed by the apostle should be construed so as to affect his inspiration!
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

household of Stephanas--"The first-fruits of Achaia," that is, among the first converted there (1Co 16:15, 17). It is likely that such "households" included infants (Ac 16:33). The history of the Church favors this view, as infant baptism was the usage from the earliest ages.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

And I baptized also the household - The family. Whether there were any infants in the family, does not appear. It is certain that the family was among the first converts to Christianity in Achaia, and that it had evinced great zeal in aiding those who were Christians; see 1Co 16:15 - From the manner in which Paul mentions this, it is probable that Stephanas did not reside at Corinth when he was baptized, though he might have subsequently removed there. “I baptized none ‘of you’ 1Co 1:14. - that is, none of those who permanently dwelt at Corinth, or who were members of the original church there, but Crispus and Gaius - but I baptized also the family of Stephanas, ‘now’ of your number” - Or it may mean, “I baptized none of you ‘who are adult members of the church,’ but Crispus and Gains, though I also baptized the ‘family’ of Stephanas. If this be the true interpretation, then it forms an argument to prove that Paul practiced household baptism, or the baptism of the families of those who were themselves believers. Or the expression may simply indicate a recollection of the true circumstances of the case - a species of correction of the statement in 1Co 1:14, “I recollect now also that I baptized the family of Stephanas.” Household - οἶκον oikon. The house; the family. The word comprises the whole family, including adults, domestics, slaves, and children. It includes: (1) The men in a house, Act 7:10; 1Ti 3:4-5, 1Ti 3:12; (2) “Domestics,” Act 10:2; Act 11:14; Act 16:15, Act 16:31; 1Ti 3:4; (3) “The family” in general; Luk 10:5; Luk 16:27. Bretschneider. It was the custom, doubtless, for the apostles to baptize the entire “household,” whatever might be the age, including domestics, slaves, and children. […]

The words behind it

13 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Acts 16:15

    And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

    it leads to

    • Acts 11:14

      He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

    • Hebrews 13:2

      Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

    • Acts 16:33

      At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

    • Luke 24:29

      But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.

    • Genesis 19:3

      But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

  • Through

    Acts 16:33

    At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

    it leads to

    • Acts 16:15

      And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 16:15

    You know that Stephanas and his household were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brothers,

    it leads to

    • Romans 16:5

      Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 16:17

    I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 11:9

      And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to…

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

This page draws on 9 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.