1 Corinthians 4:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

NIV: We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

NASB: and we labor, working with our own hands; when we are verbally abused, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

CSB: we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

NLT: We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

KJV: And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

NKJV: And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

Paul is describing the difficult life of hardship that comes with serving Christ as an apostle. Not only are they thought foolish and given little respect in the eyes of the world, but they live with hunger, thirst, poor clothing, beatings, and no homes to call their own.

Now Paul adds to this that it's even necessary for them to provide their own way by working other jobs of manual labor on the side. The Corinthians would remember well that Paul worked with his own hands as a tentmaker when he was with them. That's when he met and partnered with Priscilla and Aquila in tent-making and in the ministry of leading others to Christ (Acts 18:1–5; 18).

In spite of all of this hardship, Paul and the other apostles do not live in defeat and discouragement. He begins to describe how they respond to their circumstances. In short, they respond as Christ Himself did during the difficult years of His own ministry on earth.

Paul writes that when they are reviled or insulted, they give back blessing to those who treat them disrespectfully. When they are persecuted for Christ's sake, they don't give up. They keep going. This is possible because they understand that this is what comes with serving Christ, who also suffered greatly.

First Corinthians 4:1–13 begins with Paul's insistence that he is not concerned with anyone's judgment of him. The Lord will judge him, and that's what matters. The Corinthians have become arrogant in their judgment, forgetting that all the good they have is a gift. They feel self-reliant in their wealth and status while Paul and the other apostles live in poverty and under persecution, thought to be scum by the world. Still, they imitate Jesus by blessing those who mistreat them and continuing to serve Christ no matter the cost.

Paul continues to show why the Corinthian Christians must not be divided over loyalties to various Christian leaders. Only the Lord can judge His servants, including Paul. By making themselves judges, they are acting like they have all they need. They are proudly focused on reputation and status while the apostles live for Christ in poverty and under persecution. Paul writes as a father to little children. He urges them to change course and imitate his life. Do they want him to be gentle or come to them with the rod of correction?

First Corinthians 4 continues Paul's insistence to the Corinthian Christians to stop making themselves judges of each other. Only the Lord's judgment matters. They are living as if their wealth and status are all they need, while the apostles serve Christ in poverty and under persecution, imitating Christ. Paul urges them to change course and imitate his life. Paul will continue his increasingly stern tone in chapter 5, where he will confront appalling examples of sin in the church at Corinth.

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.