1 Corinthians 4:6
in 1 Corinthians 4Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.
KJV
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThese things - Mentioned, chap. i, 10, &c. I have by a very obvious figure transferred to myself and Apollos - And Cephas, instead of naming those particular preachers at Corinth, to whom ye are so fondly attached. That ye may learn by us - From what has been said concerning us, who, however eminent we are, are mere instruments in God's hand.
This site's exposition
Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos
Paul applies the argument to himself and Apollos, and the rule he teaches is not to go beyond what is written. Scripture is the bound past which no teacher is raised.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to think of men above that which is written." So long as there was need of expressions as harsh as these, he refrained from drawing up the curtain, and went on arguing as if he were himself the person to whom they were addressed; in order that the dignity of the persons censured tending to counteract the censurers, no room might be left for flying out in wrath at the charges. But when the time came for a gentler process, then he strips it off, and removes the mask, and shows the persons concealed by the appellation of Paul and Apollos. And on this account he said, "These things, brethren, I have transferred in a figure unto myself and Apollos." And as in the case of the sick, when the child being out of health kicks and turns away from the food offered by the physicians, the attendants call the father or the tutor, and bid them take the food from the physician's hands and bring it, so that out of fear towards them he may take it and be quiet: so also Paul, intending to censure them about certain other persons, of whom some, he thought, were injured, others honored above measure, did not set down the persons themselves, but conducted the argument in his own name and that of Apollos, in order that reverencing these they might receive his mode of cure. But that once received, he presently makes known in whose behalf he was so expressing himself. Now this was not hypocrisy, but condescension and tact. For if he had said openly, "As for you, the men whom ye are judging are saints, and worthy of all admiration;" they might have taken it ill and started back. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
After berating the Corinthians for the rashness with which they judged Christ's ministers, the Apostle now censures the self-satisfaction with which they scorned Christ's ministers. In regard to his he does three things: first, he states his proposition; secondly, he assigns a reason (v. 7); …
"These things," that is, what was said above about quarrels, and what follows after — about judging others. I, he says, applied to myself and Apollos, so that you might learn from us not to think beyond what is written. And Scripture teaches us not …
He says this to the people, varying his instruction and directing his speech sometimes to the disciples and sometimes to the teachers and leaders, as he also does now. For the Corinthians boasted against one another about their teachers, namely: the disciple of one teacher …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And--"Now," marking transition. in a figure transferred to myself--that is, I have represented under the persons of Apollos and myself what really holds good of all teachers, making us two a figure or type of all the others.
These things - Which I have written, 1Co 3:5, etc. I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos - I have written as if myself and Apollos were the authors of the sects which now prevail among you; although others, without either our consent or knowledge, have proclaimed us heads of parties.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And these things - The things which I have written respecting religious teachers 1Co 2:5-6, 1Co 2:12, and the impropriety of forming sects called after their names. I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos - The word used here μετεσχημάτισα meteschēmatisa denotes, properly, to put on another form or figure; “to change” (Php 3:21, “who shall change our vile body”); to “transform” (2Co 11:13, “transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ”); and then to apply in the way of a figure of speech. This may mean that neither Paul, Apollos, or Peter, were set up among the Corinthians as heads of parties, but that Paul here made use of their names to show how improper it would be to make them the head of a party, and hence, how improper it was to make any religious teacher the head of a party; or Paul may mean to say that he had mentioned himself and Apollos particularly, to show the impropriety of what had been done; since, if it was improper to make them heads of parties, it was much more so to make inferior teachers the leaders of factions. Locke adopts the former interpretation. The latter is probably the true interpretation, for it is evident from 1Co 1:12-13, that there were parties in the church at Corinth that were called by the names of Paul, and Apollos, and Peter; and Paul’s design here was to show the impropriety of this by mentioning himself, Apollos, and Peter, and thus by transferring the whole discussion from inferior teachers and leaders to show the impropriety of it. He might have argued against the impropriety of following other leaders. He might have mentioned their names. But this would have been invidious and indelicate. It would have excited their anger. […]
The words behind it
29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ταῦτα | tauta | These things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δέ, | de | now, | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | brothers, | G80 → | 343 times |
| μετεσχημάτισα | meteschematisa | I have applied | G3345 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἐμαυτὸν | emauton | myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Ἀπολλῶν | apollon | Apollos | G625 → | 10 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | on account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| μάθητε | mathete | you may learn | G3129 → | 25 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | beyond | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ἃ | ha | what [things] | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| γέγραπται | gegraptai | has been written | G1125 → | 189 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| εἷς | heis | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑνὸς | henos | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| φυσιοῦσθε | phusiousthe | you be puffed up | G5448 → | 7 times |
| κατὰ | kata | over | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑτέρου. | heterou | other. | G2087 → | 97 times |
ΤαῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
δέ,now,
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀδελφοί,brothers,
adelphoiG80 →343 times
μετεσχημάτισαI have applied
meteschematisaG3345 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἐμαυτὸνmyself
emautonG1473 →839 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἈπολλῶνApollos
apollonG625 →10 times
δι᾽on account of
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἡμῖνus
heminG3165 →1936 times
μάθητεyou may learn
matheteG3129 →25 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ὑπὲρbeyond
huperG5228 →155 times
ἃwhat [things]
haG3739 →1405 times
γέγραπταιhas been written
gegraptaiG1125 →189 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
εἷςone
heisG1520 →343 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ἑνὸςone
henosG1520 →343 times
φυσιοῦσθεyou be puffed up
phusioustheG5448 →7 times
κατὰover
kataG2596 →468 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἑτέρου.other.
heterouG2087 →97 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
Romans 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure…
it leads to
- Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- Philippians 2:3–8
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
- Galatians 6:3
Through
2 Corinthians 11:4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you…
it leads to
- Galatians 1:6–8
I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
- 1 Corinthians 3:11
For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 1:6–8
Through
Colossians 2:18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual…
it leads to
- Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Colossians 2:8
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 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on First Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 12; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.