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1 Corinthians 16

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The Collection for Jerusalem Saints 1–4

1
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. ​
2
Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. ​
3
And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem:
4
and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me.

Paul’s Travel Plans 5–9

5
But I will come unto you, when I shall have passed through Macedonia; for I pass through Macedonia; ​
6
but with you it may be that I shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me forward on my journey whithersoever I go.
7
For I do not wish to see you now by the way; for I hope to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
8
But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost; ​
9
for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. ​

Instructions Regarding Timothy and Apollos 10–12

10
Now if Timothy come, see that he be with you without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do: ​
11
let no man therefore despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come unto me: for I expect him with the brethren.
12
But as touching Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come unto you with the brethren: and it was not at all his will to come now; but he will come when he shall have opportunity. ​

Final Exhortations 13–14

13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. ​
14
Let all that ye do be done in love. ​

Commendation of Stephanas’ Household 15–18

15
Now I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to minister unto the saints), ​
16
that ye also be in subjection unto such, and to every one that helpeth in the work and laboreth. ​
17
And I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they supplied.
18
For they refreshed my spirit and yours: acknowledge ye therefore them that are such.

Greetings and Concluding Benediction 19–24

19
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. ​
20
All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.
21
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. ​
22
If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Maranatha. ​
23
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
24
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Corinthians 16

Verse 1

the collection for the saints — Logeia occurs only here and in v.2. The gift was for the poor at Jerusalem: 'a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem' from 'Macedonia and Achaia' (Rom 15:26), the request Paul accepted when 'they would that we should remember the poor' (Gal 2:10). 'Given order' is diatasso, to appoint.

Verse 2

the first day of the week — The disciples met on this day 'to break bread' at Troas (Acts 20:7). 'Lay by him in store' is thesaurizo, to treasure up (Matt 6:19). 'Prospered' is euodoo, to be given a good way, as in Rom 1:10, 'a prosperous journey'. The giving is by each person's means, set aside beforehand, so 'there be no gatherings when I come'.

Verse 5

when I shall pass through Macedonia — Dierchomai, to go through, is the verb of the same route in Acts 19:21, where Paul 'purposed in the spirit' to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and then go to Jerusalem. Another plan of his, told in 2 Cor 1:15–16, was to come to Corinth first, go on to Macedonia and come to them again. Here he comes to Corinth after Macedonia.

Verse 8

until Pentecost — The letter was written from Ephesus, where Paul stayed some time (Acts 19:1, 10). Pentekoste means 'fiftieth', the day reached by counting 'fifty days' from the sheaf of firstfruits (Lev 23:15–16), the feast of harvest (Ex 23:16). It is the day on which the Spirit came (Acts 2:1).

Verse 9

a great door and effectual — 'Door' (thura) is Paul's figure for opportunity to preach, as in 'the door of faith unto the Gentiles' (Acts 14:27). 'Effectual' is energes, working, from the root of energeo in 12:6. The 'many adversaries' (antikeimai) at Ephesus appear in Acts 19:9, where 'divers were hardened, and believed not'.

Verse 10

Timotheus — Paul had written that he had 'sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord' (4:17), and Acts 19:22 has him sent into Macedonia with Erastus. 'Without fear' is aphobos, and Timothy was young (1 Tim 4:12). He 'worketh the work of the Lord', the phrase of 15:58, 'always abounding in the work of the Lord'.

Verse 12

our brother Apollos — The Corinthians' cry 'I of Apollos' (1:12) had made his name a banner, yet Paul urges him to go to them. 'Greatly desired' is parakaleo, the verb translated 'I beseech' in v.15. Apollos, 'mighty in the scriptures' (Acts 18:24), was not under Paul's orders: Paul urged, and the decision rested with Apollos.

Verse 13

quit you like men — Andrizomai, to act as a man, occurs only here. 'Watch' is gregoreo, the call of 'Watch and pray' (Matt 26:41), and 'be strong' is krataioo, the verb of 'strengthened with might by his Spirit' (Eph 3:16). 'Stand fast in the faith' is steko; the four commands come as one.

Verse 14

with charity — Agape, the word of ch.13, whose last verse reads 'the greatest of these is charity' (13:13), and which ch.14 opened with, 'Follow after charity' (14:1). It governs 'all your things', not only the gifts. Christ's 'new commandment' is the same, 'That ye love one another' (John 13:34).

Verse 15

the firstfruits of Achaia — Aparche, the first of the harvest set apart for God (Lev 23:10; Rom 11:16). Achaia is the region of Corinth (Acts 18:1, 12), and Paul had baptized this household (1:16). 'Addicted themselves' is tasso, to appoint: they set themselves to the 'ministry' (diakonia, service, the word of 12:5) of the saints.

Verse 16

submit yourselves — Hypotasso, the verb of 14:32 and 14:34. The authority here belongs to those who 'help' (sunergeo, work together, as in Rom 8:28) and 'labour' (kopiao, to toil to weariness, Paul's word for himself in 15:10, 'I laboured more abundantly than they all'). Service is the ground of it, as in 1 Thess 5:12.

Verse 19

Aquila and Priscilla — The Jewish couple Paul found at Corinth after Claudius's order (Acts 18:2) and left at Ephesus (Acts 18:19). There they took Apollos and 'expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly' (Acts 18:26). 'The church that is in their house' is said of them again in Rom 16:5. They send greeting 'much in the Lord'.

Verse 21

with mine own hand — Paul used a scribe, as Rom 16:22 shows: 'I Tertius, who wrote this epistle'. Here he takes the pen for the closing greeting, which he calls 'the token in every epistle' (2 Thess 3:17; see also Gal 6:11; Col 4:18). Aspasmos is a greeting, a salutation.

Verse 22

Anathema Maranatha — Anathema is the word of 12:3, 'accursed' (also Gal 1:8–9, Rom 9:3). 'Love' is phileo, affection, the verb of 'He that loveth father or mother more than me' (Matt 10:37). Maranatha is Aramaic, 'Our Lord, come', found only here; 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus' (Rev 22:20) is its Greek counterpart.