1 Corinthians 4:19
in 1 Corinthians 4But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
KJV
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But I will come - It is from no fear of them that I am kept away; and to convince them of this I will come to them speedily. If the Lord will - If the Lord permit; if by his providence he allows me to go. Paul regarded the entering on a journey as dependent on the will of God; and felt that God had all in his hand. No purpose should be formed without a reference to his will; no plan without feeling that he can easily frustrate it and disappoint us; see Jas 4:
This site's exposition
Some of you have become arrogant
on 1 Corinthians 4:18-19
Some at Corinth had become arrogant, as if Paul were not coming, as if distance had ended his authority. Paul answers that he will come shortly, if the Lord is willing, and weigh their power beside their talk.
This site's exposition
if the Lord is willing
Severian hears firmness in the promise to come and dependence in the condition attached to it. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown observe that the visit came later than Paul intended. They take power as the Spirit's working, measured against high-sounding talk.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Severian of GabalaPAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 425.
proposed
Paul promises to come, so that the Corinthians can prepare themselves for correction. On the one hand he was forced by his irritation to say "I shall come," but on the other hand he added "if the Lord wills," because of his sense of dependence …
Paul couches his promise to come in the will of God, because God knows more than man. If there was some advantage in Paul's going to Corinth, God would make it known, and if he did not turn up, the Corinthians would know that the …
And therefore he goes on, "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will." Now to say this only would seem to be mere threatening. But to promise himself and demand from them the requisite proof by actions also; this was a course for a truly high spirit. Accordingly he added this too, saying, "And I will know, not the word of them which are puffed up, but the power." For not from any excellencies of their own but from their teacher's absence, this self-will arose. Which again itself was a mark of a scornful mind towards him. And this is why, having said, "I have sent Timothy," he did not at once add, "I will come;" but waited until he had brought his charge against them of being "puffed up:" after that he saith, "I will come." Since, had he put it before the charge, it would rather have been an apology for himself as not having been deficient, instead of a threat; nor even so would the statement have been convincing. But as it is, placing it after the accusation, he rendered himself such as they would both believe and fear. Mark also how solid and secure he makes his ground: for he saith not simply, "I will come:" but, "If the Lord will:" and he appoints no set time. For since he might perhaps be tardy in coming, by that uncertainty he would fain keep them anxiously engaged. And, lest they should hereupon fall back again, he added, "shortly." "And I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power." He said not, "I will know not the wisdom, nor the signs," but what? "not the word:" by the term he employs at the same time depressing the one and exalting the other. And for a while he is setting himself against the generality of them who were countenancing the fornicator. […]
It teaches the magnificence of the wisdom implanted in her children by instruction. Now the apostle says, "I will know not the speech of those that are puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God is not in word." By which is clearly revealed that the gnostic does not sin in speech, nor is puffed up by talk, but is full of work, having made his whole life in accordance with the Lord's commands.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The Corinthians, relying on eloquence, despised Paul as an unlearned man; therefore he says: I will look not at your eloquence, for it is not what is needed, but at the "power" manifested in signs. For the Kingdom of God was preached and established not …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
By these words he humbles the proud and rouses them to sobriety. And he well added: "if the Lord wills," for all things happen according to His command.
Secondly, he tells them of his visit, when he will come to judge them. First, he foretells his coming when he says: But I will come to you soon. But because in says in Prov (16:9): "The heart of man disposes his way, but the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For, adds he, the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. It is not set up, nor propagated, nor established, in the hearts of men, by plausible reasonings nor florid discourses, but by the external power of the Holy Spirit in miraculous operations at first, and the powerful influence of divine truth on the minds and manners of men.
But I will come to you shortly,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He does not seem to have been able to go as soon as he intended. and will know--take cognizance of. but the power--I care not for their high-sounding "speech," "but" what I desire to know is "their power," whether they be really powerful in the Spirit, or not.
But I will come to you shortly - God being my helper, I fully purpose to visit you; and then I shall put those proud men to the proof, not of their speech - eloquence, or pretensions to great knowledge and influence, but of their power - the authority they profess to have from God, and the evidences of that authority in the works they have performed. See the Introduction, Section 11.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐλεύσομαι | eleusomai | I will come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ταχέως | tacheos | soon | G5030 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| θελήσῃ, | thelese | wishes, | G2309 → | 208 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γνώσομαι | gnosomai | I will find out | G1097 → | 221 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον | logon | talk | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τῶν | ton | of those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πεφυσιωμένων | pephusiomenon | puffed up | G5448 → | 7 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δύναμιν. | dunamin | power. | G1411 → | 119 times |
ἐλεύσομαιI will come
eleusomaiG2064 →628 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ταχέωςsoon
tacheosG5030 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
θελήσῃ,wishes,
theleseG2309 →208 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γνώσομαιI will find out
gnosomaiG1097 →221 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγονtalk
logonG3056 →329 times
τῶνof those
tonG3588 →19766 times
πεφυσιωμένωνpuffed up
pephusiomenonG5448 →7 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δύναμιν.power.
dunaminG1411 →119 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
Acts 18:21But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
it leads to
- James 4:15
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 15:32
so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 6:3
And this we will do, if God permits.
- Romans 1:10
in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.
- James 4:15
Through
Acts 19:21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as…
it leads to
- Acts 20:16
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 20:22
And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
- Acts 20:16
Through
Hebrews 6:3And this we will do, if God permits.
it leads to
- Acts 18:21
But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 18:21
Through
1 Corinthians 14:5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the…
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 12:28–30
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28–30
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 Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Severian of Gabala, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.