1 Corinthians 16:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,

NIV: But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,

NASB: But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost;

CSB: But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,

NLT: In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost.

KJV: But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

NKJV: But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.

This is part of Paul's explanation of his travel plans to the Corinthians. He hopes to arrive to spend some time with them before winter sets in. He is writing this letter from Ephesus, where he has been working for some time. He adds now that he plans to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost. By this, Paul may not have meant the actual day of the celebration of Pentecost, but the Pentecost season, which was also the beginning of the travel season.

The following verse reveals, though, that Paul's reasons for delaying his departure has more to do with continued ministry opportunities than weather.

First Corinthians 16:5–11 describes Paul's plans to come and see the Corinthians in person within the year. First, he will stay in Ephesus to take advantage of an open door to the gospel, intending to leave at Pentecost to visit churches in Macedonia. He hopes to arrive in Corinth in time to spend the winter months with them. In the meantime, Timothy will arrive to represent him and the Lord to them. Paul warns them to put Timothy at ease and to send Timothy and his party back to Paul in peace.

Having finished the main teaching parts of his letter, Paul wraps up with some matters of business. He tells the Corinthians how to gather funds for a special contribution. He describes his travel plans, including his plan to arrive there before winter. He warns them to treat Timothy well and commends a delegation from Corinth that have come to see him. He concludes with greetings from other believers, along with a curse and a blessing. He curses those who do not love the Lord—here apparently meaning false teachers—and prays the grace of the Lord on everyone else.

First Corinthians 16 concludes Paul's long letter to the church in Corinth with several business matters. He instructs them on how to prepare a special contribution for needy Christians in Jerusalem. He describes his plan to visit them in person after wrapping up his ministry in Ephesus and stopping by churches in Macedonia. He reveals that Timothy is coming to them more quickly and that Apollos is not. Finally, he commends a delegation from Corinth that has come to see him. His final words in the letter are a declaration of love for all of them.

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.

Accessed 5/4/2024 5:20:15 AM