1 Corinthians 4:16
in 1 Corinthians 4Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.
KJV
Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary
12 notes on this versePaul is saying to the Corinthians: "Be humble as I am humble, suffer as I suffer. It is by your sufferings, not by your gifts, that you will be rated."
This site's exposition
be ye followers of me
on 1 Corinthians 4:16-17
The appeal to imitation is not vanity but the natural request of the father just named in verse 15, and Paul immediately backs it with a living example, sending Timothy to remind the church of his ways in Christ, the same teaching he gives everywhere in every church. The bench notes the double check this puts on the appeal, since Timothy's arrival will let the Corinthians measure the claim against a witness they can question themselves. Every where in every church guards against Corinth reading Paul's ways as some private preference rather than the gospel's own consistent shape.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 190 · Written before 458.
proposed
By this Paul meant that if he was humble, they should also be humble. What he was prepared to suffer, they should be prepared to suffer. They were to glory in their hardships, not in their blessings.
Paul wants them to be imitators of him in these things, so that just as he has endured many hardships from unbelievers for their salvation and is still doing so as long as he preaches the free gift of God's grace day and night, so …
"I beseech you, be ye imitators of me, as I also am of Christ." Astonishing! How great is our teacher's boldness of speech! How highly finished the image, when he can even exhort others hereunto! Not that in self-exaltation he doth so, but implying that virtue is an easy thing. As if he had said, "Tell me not, 'I am not able to imitate thee. Thou art a Teacher, and a great one.' For the difference between me and you is not so great as between Christ and me: and yet I have imitated Him." On the other hand, writing to the Ephesians, he interposes no mention of himself, but leads them all straight to the one point, "Be ye imitators of God," is his word. But in this place, since his discourse was addressed to weak persons, he puts himself in by the way. And besides, too, he signifies that it is possible even thus to imitate Christ. For he who copies the perfect impression of the seal, copies the original model. Let us see then in what way he followed Christ: for this imitation needs not time and art, but a steady purpose alone. Thus if we go into the study of a painter, we shall not be able to copy the portrait, though we see it ten thousand times. But to copy him we are enabled by hearing alone. Will ye then that we bring the tablet before you and sketch out for you Paul's manner of life? Well, let it be produced, that picture far brighter than all the images of Emperors: for its material is not boards glued together, nor canvass stretched out; but the material is the work of God: being as it is a soul and a body: a soul, the work of God, not of men; and a body again in like wise.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, I urge you, the, he starts to correct them with his own example. First, he urges them to follow his example, saying: Then, since you are my children and good children should imitate their fathers, I urge you, be imitators of …
Be imitators of me in all things, he says; be not puffed up by either wisdom or wealth, and do not be hostile toward the brethren, but place both wisdom and wealth in love for Christ and for the brethren. Notice the goodness of heart: …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Wherefore, I beseech you,.... Though he might have used the power and authority of a father, yet he chose rather to entreat and beseech them; saying, be ye followers of me; for who should children follow, but their parents? The Vulgate Latin, adds, "as I am of Christ"; so Chrysostom in his time read it; and Beza says he found it so written in one Greek exemplar; and so it is in one of Stephens's; it seems to have crept in from 1Co 11:
They should follow them as far as they are satisfied that they follow Christ in faith and practice. Paul's Affection and Authority. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:40w-of-63
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me - It should rather be translated, Be ye imitators of me; μιμηται, from which we have our word mimic, which, though now used only in a bad or ludicrous sense, simply signifies an imitator of another person, whether in speech, manner, habit, or otherwise. As children should imitate their parents in preference to all others, he calls on them to imitate him, as he claims them for his children.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
be ye followers of me--literally, "imitators," namely, in my ways, which be in Christ (1Co 4:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Wherefore - Since I am your spiritual father. Be ye followers of me - Imitate me; copy my example; listen to my admonitions. Probably Paul had particularly in his eye their tendency to form parties; and here admonishes them that he had no disposition to form sects, and entreats them in this to imitate his example. A minister should always so live as that he can, without pride or ostentation, point to his own example; and entreat his people to imitate him. He should have such a confidence in his own integrity; he should lead such a blameless life; and “he should be assured that his people have so much evidence of his integrity,” that he can point them to his own example, and entreat them to live like himself. And to do this, he should live a life of piety, and should furnish such evidence of a pure conversation, that his people may have reason to regard him as a holy man.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Παρακαλῶ | parakalo | I exhort | G3870 → | 108 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μιμηταί | mimetai | imitators | G3402 → | |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| γίνεσθε. | ginesthe | do become. | G1096 → | 667 times |
ΠαρακαλῶI exhort
parakaloG3870 →108 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 times
μιμηταίimitators
mimetaiG3402 →
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
γίνεσθε.do become.
ginestheG1096 →667 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 Corinthians 11:1You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
it leads to
- Philippians 3:17
Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.
- Ephesians 5:1–2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
- Hebrews 6:12
Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
- Philippians 3:17
Through
2 Thessalonians 3:9Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7
Through
Philippians 4:9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
it leads to
- James 1:22
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live,…
- 2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
- James 1:22
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; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 13; 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 2.21.12-14; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 190; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.