1 Corinthians 3:5
in 1 Corinthians 3What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him.
KJV
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 3
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Who then is Paul ... - See the notes at 1Co 1:13. Why should a party be formed which should be named after Paul? What has he done or taught that should lead to this? What eminence has he that should induce any to call themselves by his name? He is on a level with the other apostles; and all are but ministers, or servants, and have no claim to the honor of giving names to sects and parties.
This site's exposition
What then is Apollos?
on 1 Corinthians 3:5-7
Paul ranks both party heads as servants through whom the Corinthians believed. He planted and Apollos watered, but God made it grow, and by verse 7 only God counts, Paul's own work included.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?" In this way, after producing and proving his facts, he makes his accusation henceforth more openly. Moreover, he employs his own name, doing away all harshness and not suffering them to be angry at what it is said. For if Paul is nothing and murmur not, much less ought they to think themselves ill used. Two ways, you see, he has of soothing them; first by bringing forward his own person, then by not robbing them of all as if they contributed nothing. Rather he allows them some small portion: small though it be, he does allow it. For having said, "Who is Paul, and who Apollos," he adds, "but ministers by whom ye believed." Now this in itself is a great thing, and deserving of great rewards: although in regard of the archetype and the root of all good, it is nothing. For not he that "ministers" to our blessings, but he that provides and gives them, he is our Benefactor. And he said not, "Evangelists," but "Ministers," which is more. For they had not merely preached the Gospel, but had also ministered unto us; the one being a matter of word only, while the other hath deed also. Further, he said not, "Those who guide you into the Faith," but "those by whom ye believed;" again attributing the greater share to themselves, and indicating by this also the subordinate class of ministers. Now if they were ministering to another, how come they to seize the authority for themselves? But I would have you consider how in no wise he lays the blame on them as seizing it for themselves, but on those who endow them with it. For the ground-work of the error lay in the multitude; since, had the one fallen away, the other would have been broken up. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
And even this, he says, small service we do not have of ourselves, but received it from the Lord, each in his own measure.
Then when he says, What then is Apollos? he spurns their judgment, insofar as they attributed more to their ministers than they deserved. First, he discloses the truth; secondly, he excluded their error (v. 18). In regard to the first he does two things: first, …
Having put forward his own and Apollos's name, he faithfully achieves his purpose. He reasons as follows: if we are nothing, then what is to be said of your teachers? We, he says, are "servants," and not the very root and source of blessings — …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Who then is Paul? and who is Apollos?....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They are but ministers, mere instruments used by the God of all grace. Some of the factious people in Corinth seem to have made more of them, as if they were lords of their faith, authors of their religion.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Paul." He puts Apollos before himself in humility. but ministers, &c.--The oldest manuscripts have no "but." "Who is Apollos . . . Paul? (mere) ministers (a lowly word appropriate here, servants), by whom (not "in whom"; by whose ministrations) ye believed." as . . . Lord gave to every man--that is, to the several hearers, for it was GOD that "gave the increase" (1Co 3:6).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Ministers by whom ye believed - The different apostles who have preached unto you the word of life are the means which God has used to bring you to the knowledge of Christ. No one of those has either preached or recommended himself; they all preach and recommend Christ Jesus the Lord. Even as the Lord gave to every man? - Whatever difference there may be in our talents, it is of God’s making; and he who knows best what is best for his Church, has distributed both gifts and graces according to his own mind; and, as his judgment is infallible, all these dispensations must be right. Paul, therefore, is as necessary to the perfecting of the Church of Christ as Apollos; and Apollos, as Paul. Both, but with various gifts, point out the same Christ, building on one and the same foundation.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τί | ti | who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| οὖν | oun | then | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Ἀπολλῶς | apollos | Apollos | G625 → | 10 times |
| τί | ti | who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| δέ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Παῦλος; | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| διάκονοι | diakonoi | Servants | G1249 → | |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ὧν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐπιστεύσατε, | episteusate | you believed, | G4100 → | 237 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἑκάστῳ | hekasto | to each | G1538 → | 81 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἔδωκεν. | edoken | has given. | G1325 → | 412 times |
Τίwho
tiG5101 →563 times
οὖνthen
ounG3767 →497 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἈπολλῶςApollos
apollosG625 →10 times
τίwho
tiG5101 →563 times
δέnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
Παῦλος;Paul
paulosG3972 →158 times
διάκονοιServants
diakonoiG1249 →
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ὧνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
ἐπιστεύσατε,you believed,
episteusateG4100 →237 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἑκάστῳto each
hekastoG1538 →81 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ἔδωκεν.has given.
edokenG1325 →412 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
1 Peter 4:10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
it leads to
- Romans 12:6–8
We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
- 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 4:1–2
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
- Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
- Romans 12:6–8
Through
2 Corinthians 3:6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
it leads to
- John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
- Romans 7:6
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the…
- Jeremiah 31:31
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
- Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
- John 6:63
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About 1 Corinthians
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 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); Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 8; 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.