1 Corinthians 16:8

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But I will remain in Ephesus until Shavu‘ot,

Berean Standard Bible:

But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,

American Standard Version:

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But{G1161} I will tarry{G1961} at{G1722} Ephesus{G2181} until{G2193} Pentecost{G4005}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Acts 2:1

  • ¶ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Exodus 23:16

  • And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Acts 18:19

  • And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

1 Corinthians 15:32

  • If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

Leviticus 23:15

  • ¶ And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

Leviticus 23:21

  • And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, [that] it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work [therein: it shall be] a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

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Commentary for 1 Corinthians 16:8

1 Corinthians 16:8 is a verse in the New Testament where the Apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, detailing his travel plans. The verse reads, "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost." This statement comes at the end of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, where he has been addressing various issues within the church, offering guidance on Christian living, doctrine, and community matters.

In this verse, Paul mentions his intention to stay in Ephesus, a significant city in the Roman province of Asia (now modern-day Turkey), until the Jewish festival of Pentecost. The historical context of Pentecost is important; it was originally a Jewish harvest festival that occurred fifty days after Passover, but for Christians, it also held special significance as the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 2), marking the birth of the Christian church.

By indicating he would remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, Paul was planning to use the time effectively for ministry purposes. Ephesus was a strategic location for evangelism and church planting due to its size, diversity, and centrality in the region. Paul's decision to stay reflects his commitment to spreading the Gospel and strengthening the fledgling Christian communities, despite the challenges and opposition he faced.

The themes present in this verse include Paul's strategic approach to missionary work, his dedication to the growth of the church, and the integration of Christian practices with Jewish traditions. Paul's reference to Pentecost also underscores the early Christian practice of aligning their activities with Jewish festival dates, which would have been familiar to both Jewish and Gentile converts in the early church. This verse encapsulates the transitional phase of early Christianity as it emerged from its Jewish roots while establishing its own identity and practices.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: G1161
    There are 2556 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: δέ
    Transliteration:
    Pronunciation: deh
    Description: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
  2. Strong's Number: G1961
    There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἐπιμένω
    Transliteration: epiménō
    Pronunciation: ep-ee-men'-o
    Description: from ἐπί and μένω; to stay over, i.e. remain (figuratively, persevere):--abide (in), continue (in), tarry.
  3. Strong's Number: G1722
    There are 2129 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἐν
    Transliteration: en
    Pronunciation: en
    Description: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between εἰς and ἐκ); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
  4. Strong's Number: G2181
    There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: Ἔφεσος
    Transliteration: Éphesos
    Pronunciation: ef'-es-os
    Description: probably of foreign origin; Ephesus, a city of Asia Minor:--Ephesus.
  5. Strong's Number: G2193
    There are 139 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἕως
    Transliteration: héōs
    Pronunciation: heh'-oce
    Description: of uncertain affinity; a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place):--even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s).
  6. Strong's Number: G4005
    There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: πεντηκοστή
    Transliteration: pentēkostḗ
    Pronunciation: pen-tay-kos-tay'
    Description: feminine of the ordinal of πεντήκοντα; fiftieth (ἡμέρα being implied) from Passover, i.e. the festival of "Pentecost":--Pentecost.