1 Corinthians 4:17
in 1 Corinthians 4That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBy "ways in Christ" Paul means his embodied good deeds. He tells the Corinthians to remember them, because they are self-evident and do not need to be taught.
This site's exposition
Therefore I urge you to imitate me
on 1 Corinthians 4:16-17
Paul's appeal to imitate him is a father's request after verse 15. He backs it by sending Timothy, who will remind them of Paul's way of life in Christ Jesus.
This site's exposition
my beloved and faithful child
Timothy is called child in the same sense as the fathering of verse 15, and Clarke takes it that Paul had brought him to God. Theophylact notes the verb remind, fitting for a young envoy recalling what the church already knew. Origen reads the ways as Paul's lived conduct.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Consider here also, I entreat, the noble soul, the soul more glowing and keener than fire: how he was indeed especially desirous to be present himself with the Corinthians, thus distempered and broken into parties. For he knew well what a help to the disciples his presence was and what a mischief his absence. And the former he declared in the Epistle to the Philippians, saying, "Not as in my presence only, but also now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The latter he signifies in this Epistle, saying, "Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you; but I will come." He was urgent, it seems, and desirous to be present himself. But as this was not possible for a time, he corrects them by the promise of his appearance; and not this only, but also by the sending of his disciple. "For this," he saith, "I have sent unto you Timothy." "For this cause:" how is that? "Because I care for you as for children, and as having begotten you." And the message is accompanied with a recommendation of his person: "Who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord." Now this he said, both to shew his love of him, and to prepare them to look on him with respect. And not simply "faithful," but, "in the Lord;" that is, in the things pertaining to the Lord. Now if in worldly things it is high praise for a man to be faithful, much more in things spiritual. If then he was his "beloved child," consider how great was Paul's love, in choosing to be separated from him for the Corinthian's sake, And if "faithful" also, he will be unexceptionable in his ministering to their affairs. "Who shall put you in remembrance." He said not, "shall teach," lest they should take it ill, as being used to learn from himself. Wherefore also towards the end he saith, "For he worketh the work of the Lord, as I, also do. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
Therefore, he says, because I care for you as children, I sent Timothy to you. I myself wanted to come and restore peace among you, but since I cannot accomplish this, I sent him, "my beloved son." He said this in order to show how …
Secondly, he removes the excuse of ignorance, saying: Therefore, I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, which agrees with what he said of Timothy in Phil (2:20): "I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for …
He did not say "will teach," lest they be offended (for Timothy was young), but "will remind" — what you already knew before, he will renew in your memory. By "ways" he means the regulations, rules, customs, and divine laws connected with the preaching. He …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He knows what I have taught, and what my conversation has been in all places, and, you may depend upon it, he will make a faithful report." Note, It is a great commendation of any minister that he is faithful in the Lord, faithful to his soul, to his light, to his trust from God; this must go a great way in procuring regard to his message with those that fear God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For this cause - In order to remind you of my doctrines and my manner of life. Since I am hindered from coming myself, I have sent a fellow laborer as my messenger, well acquainted with my views and feelings, that he might do what I would do if I were present. Have I sent unto you Timotheus - Timothy, the companion and fellow laborer of Paul. This was probably when Paul was at Ephesus. He sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, probably with instruction to go to Corinth if convenient.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"Paul purposed . . . when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem. So he sent into Macedonia Timotheus and Erastus." Here it is not expressly said that he sent Timothy into Achaia (of which Corinth was the capital), but it is implied, for he sent him with Erastus before him.
For this cause - That you imitate me, and know in what this consists. I sent unto you Timotheus - The same person to whom he wrote the two epistles that are still extant under his name, and whom he calls here his beloved son, one of his most intimate disciples; and whom he had been the means of bringing to God through Christ. My ways which be in Christ - This person will also inform you of the manner in which I regulate all the Churches; and show to you, that what I require of you is no other than what I require of all the Churches of Christ which I have formed, as I follow the same plan of discipline in every place. See the Introduction, Section 3.
The words behind it
30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὰ | dia | On account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἔπεμψα | epempsa | I sent | G3992 → | |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| Τιμόθεον, | timotheon | Timothy, | G5095 → | |
| ὅς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐστίν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| μου | mou | my | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τέκνον | teknon | child | G5043 → | 99 times |
| ἀγαπητὸν | agapeton | beloved | G27 → | 61 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πιστὸν | piston | faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| ἐν | en | in [the] | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| κυρίῳ, | kurio | Lord, | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀναμνήσει | anamnesei | will remind of | G363 → | |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδούς | hodous | ways | G3598 → | |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὰς | tas | that [are] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ, | iesou | Jesus, | G2424 → | 908 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| πανταχοῦ | pantachou | everywhere | G3837 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πάσῃ | pase | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἐκκλησίᾳ | ekklesia | church | G1577 → | 113 times |
| διδάσκω.¶ | didasko | I teach. | G1321 → |
διὰOn account of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ἔπεμψαI sent
epempsaG3992 →
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
Τιμόθεον,Timothy,
timotheonG5095 →
ὅςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ἐστίνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
μουmy
mouG3165 →1936 times
τέκνονchild
teknonG5043 →99 times
ἀγαπητὸνbeloved
agapetonG27 →61 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πιστὸνfaithful
pistonG4103 →67 times
ἐνin [the]
enG1722 →2738 times
κυρίῳ,Lord,
kurioG2962 →711 times
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἀναμνήσειwill remind of
anamneseiG363 →
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ὁδούςways
hodousG3598 →
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
τὰςthat [are]
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
Ἰησοῦ,Jesus,
iesouG2424 →908 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
πανταχοῦeverywhere
pantachouG3837 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
πάσῃevery
paseG3956 →1235 times
ἐκκλησίᾳchurch
ekklesiaG1577 →113 times
διδάσκω.¶I teach.
didaskoG1321 →
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 Timothy 1:2To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:19–22
Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Titus 1:4
To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- 2 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14–17
I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
- Philippians 2:19–22
Through
1 Corinthians 16:1Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:12–15
For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.
- Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- 1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- 2 Corinthians 8:1–9
Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
- 2 Corinthians 9:12–15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 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 Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 14; 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 2.21.20-22; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.