Focused Passage

1 Corinthians 4:8-13

Stewards of Christ, Fools for Christ, and a Father’s Admonition

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

9 For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

11 To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

13 when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Already ἤδη G2235 Adverb vvv ἐστέ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural you have all you want κεκορεσμένοι G2880 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural Already ἤδη G2235 Adverb you have become rich ἐπλουτήσατε G4147 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Without χωρὶς G5565 Preposition us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural you have become kings ἐβασιλεύσατε G936 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction How I wish ὄφελόν G3785 Interjection vvv γε G1065 Particle you really were kings ἐβασιλεύσατε G936 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction we ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction might be kings with συμβασιλεύσωμεν* G4821 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Verse 9

Original words

For γάρ G1063 Conjunction it seems to me δοκῶ G1380 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular that G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has displayed ἀπέδειξεν G584 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular us ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural apostles ἀποστόλους G652 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural at the end [ of the procession ] ἐσχάτους G2078 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural like ὡς G5613 Adverb [ prisoners ] appointed for death ἐπιθανατίους G1935 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction We have become ἐγενήθημεν G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural a spectacle θέατρον G2302 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular to the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular whole world κόσμῳ G2889 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction to angels ἀγγέλοις G32 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural as well as καὶ G2532 Conjunction to men ἀνθρώποις G444 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 10

Original words

We Ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural [are] fools μωροὶ G3474 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural for διὰ G1223 Preposition Christ Χριστόν G5547 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural [are] wise φρόνιμοι G5429 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition Christ Χριστῷ G5547 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular We ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural [are] weak ἀσθενεῖς G772 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural [are] strong ἰσχυροί G2478 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural You ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural [are] honored ἔνδοξοι G1741 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction we ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural [are] dishonored ἄτιμοι G820 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Verse 11

Original words

To ἄχρι G891 Preposition [this] τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular very ἄρτι G737 Adverb hour ὥρας G5610 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction we are hungry πεινῶμεν G3983 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction thirsty διψῶμεν G1372 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction we are poorly clothed γυμνιτεύομεν G1130 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction we are brutally treated κολαφιζόμεθα G2852 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction we are homeless ἀστατοῦμεν G790 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Verse 12

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction We work hard κοπιῶμεν G2872 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural . . . ἐργαζόμενοι G2038 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural with [our] ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural own ἰδίαις G2398 Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural hands χερσίν G5495 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural When we are vilified λοιδορούμενοι G3058 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural we bless εὐλογοῦμεν G2127 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural when we are persecuted διωκόμενοι G1377 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural we endure [it] ἀνεχόμεθα G430 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural
Verse 13

Original words

when we are slandered δυσφημούμενοι G1426 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural we answer gently παρακαλοῦμεν G3870 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural Up to ἕως G2193 Preposition this moment ἄρτι G737 Adverb we have become ἐγενήθημεν G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural - ὡς G5613 Adverb [the] scum περικαθάρματα G4027 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular earth κόσμου G2889 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [the] refuse περίψημα G4067 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular of [the world] πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.