1 Corinthians 1:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

NIV: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

NASB: I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

CSB: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

NLT: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

KJV: I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

NKJV: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

In the previous verse, Paul expressed his dismay that the Corinthian Christians could divide themselves against each other based on which of the prominent Christian teachers they preferred. One group apparently declared their loyalty to him. To make the point that their focus should only be on Christ, Paul asked sarcastically if he had been crucified for them? Had they been baptized in his name (1 Corinthians 1:13)?

Paul clearly wants to eliminate himself from any position which only Christ should occupy in a believer's heart and mind.

Now Paul makes an aside about who he has baptized. Baptism was the standard practice of the early church that continues to this day. Jesus commanded it be done as He was leaving earth (Matthew 28:19). Believers are baptized to show publicly that they have identified themselves with Christ. Paul says he is grateful to God that he did not baptize very many of the Christians in Corinth. Paul always worked as part of a ministry team. His normal practice was to allow other disciples to perform baptisms. He remembers baptizing two men named Crispus and Gaius. He will recall one other household in the following verse.

He is glad, however, that he didn't personally baptize too many of them so that they would not be tempted to think that act conferred some special standing for them before God because Paul performed it. Baptism, as with every other meaningful act in Christianity, is about Christ.

This statement, as continued in the flowing verses, also helps us place baptism in the proper perspective. Paul puts great emphasis on his desire to see others saved (Romans 10:1), yet he explicitly says his mission is not to baptize (1 Corinthians 1:17). In other words, Paul himself establishes a clear difference between being saved by grace and being baptized; removing the possibility that baptism is a necessary part of salvation (Titus 3:5).

First Corinthians 1:10–17 is about Christian unity. After giving thanks to God for the Corinthians and their sure place with Him in eternity, Paul addresses the way they have divided themselves into factions based on which Christian teacher they follow. Paul urges them to stop and be unified in and around Christ. After all, Christ is not divided. They were not baptized in the name of Paul, though he baptized a few of them. Christ did not send Paul to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Paul will not risk emptying the cross of its power by preaching with eloquent words.

Paul's letter to the Christians in Corinth begins with thanks for the great and powerful gifts God has given to them by His grace and through their faith in Christ. They will stand blameless before God in the end. Right now, though, they must stop dividing themselves according to which Christian teacher they follow and become unified in and around Christ. The gospel message of Christ's death on the cross is weak and foolish to the world, but God has given faith in Christ to those who believe it and find God's power and wisdom.

First Corinthians 1 begins Paul's letter to the Christians in Corinth, a big, bustling city on a major trade route. Paul knows them well, having spent a year and a half leading people to Christ and establishing the church there. He writes from Ephesus to correct some of their wrong attitudes and behaviors and to answer some of their questions. First, though, he thanks God for His grace to the Corinthians, knowing they will stand blameless before Him on the day of the Lord. Still, they must stop being divided and unite in and around Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.