1 Corinthians 3:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

NIV: their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.

NASB: each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.

CSB: each one's work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work.

NLT: But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

KJV: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

NKJV: each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

This verse completes a somewhat complicated if/then statement. Paul has been using the metaphor of constructing a building to represent the growth of the Christians in Corinth and the church there. He pictures himself as a master builder who laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. He did this when he first preached the gospel of faith in Christ to them.

Now other builders, other Christian teachers, are building on that foundation. Paul has warned them to build well. In the previous verse, he wrote that these builders may use either high-quality or cheap building materials. This seems to represent the quality of their teaching and leadership. Teaching about the way of Christ that is true and helpful is like building with the "good stuff." Like gemstones and precious metals, that teaching is harder to acquire and harder to build with, but far more durable. Teaching that is distorted, watered down, misleading is like using low-quality materials: easy to do, with little cost, but to no long-term benefit.

Paul now shows that the quality of the materials matters because a fire is coming that will reveal all. This fire will come on "the Day." Paul is looking forward to what he called the "day of our Lord Jesus Christ" in 1 Corinthians 1:8. This is the day of Christ's judgment that will come during the end times.

Paul pictures this specific judgment of God—intended for Christians, not unbelievers—as a fire that will test the quality of the work done by the Christian teachers and leaders. It will not be a judgment of the people themselves. Paul has written clearly that, by God's grace and because of their faith in Christ, the Corinthian Christians will stand blameless or guiltless in that day (Romans 8:1). This is the "Bema Seat" judgment, applied only to those with faith in Christ, and only for the sake of determining eternal rewards (Romans 14:10–12).

Rather, this verse speaks of judgment of the works done by those who serve the church. Scholars differ on whether Paul intends this to mean just the works of the teachers and leaders or the works of all Christians who are meant to use our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 1:5–7) to serve each other in the church (2 Corinthians 5:10). In either case, the fire of Christ's judgment will show whether that work—not the person doing it—was worthwhile or worthless. The cheap, casual materials Paul mentioned before would be destroyed in a fire, while metals and gems would survive.

Paul cannot call the Corinthian Christians ''spiritual'' people. Though they are in Christ, they continue to live to the flesh. They are spiritual infants, not ready for solid food. Divisions among them prove they are still serving themselves, picking sides in a senseless debate between Christian teachers. Paul insists that both he and Apollos are mere servants of the Lord and co-workers. They are not in competition. Those who lead the Corinthians must build carefully because their work will be tested on the day of the Lord. Christian leaders who build the church will have their work judged by Christ to see if they have built on the foundation of Christ. All human wisdom will be shown to be futile and worthless.

First Corinthians 3 follows Paul's teaching that only spiritual people can understand the wisdom of God. Paul cannot fully call the Corinthian Christians spiritual people, though, because they continue to live of the flesh, as if they were still infants trapped in an immature condition. Evidence includes the divisions among them. Paul insist that he and Apollos are both servants of the same master. The Corinthians should follow God, not them. Those whose work is worthless will suffer loss, but they will be saved. After this, Paul will expound on the idea that believers ought to set Christ as their example, rather than being defined in terms of their earthly leaders.

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.