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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 4:3 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Co 4:3 |
Strong Concordance |
But [1161] with me [1698] it is [2076] a very small thing [1519] [1646] that [2443] I should be judged [350] of [5259] you [5216], or [2228] of [5259] man's [442] judgment [2250]: yea [235], I judge [350] not [3761] mine own self [1683]. |
| |
King James |
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
it is a very small thing--literally, "it amounts to a very small matter"; not that I despise your judgment, but as compared with God's, it almost comes to nothing.
judged . . . of man's judgment--literally, "man's day," contrasted with the day (Co1 3:13) of the Lord (Co1 4:5; Th1 5:4). "The day of man" is here put before us as a person [WAHL]. All days previous to the day of the Lord are man's days. EMESTI translates the thrice recurring Greek for "judged . . . judge . . . judgeth" (Co1 4:4), thus: To me for my part (though capable of being found faithful) it is a very small matter that I should be approved of by man's judgment; yea, I do not even assume the right of judgment and approving myself--but He that has the right, and is able to judge on my case (the Dijudicator), is the Lord. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
But with me - In my estimate; in regard to myself. That is, I esteem it a matter of no concern. Since I am responsible as a steward to my master only, it is a matter of small concern what men think of me, provided I have his approbation. Paul was not insensible to the good opinion of people. He did not despise their favor or court limit contempt. But this was not the principal thing which he regarded; and we have here a noble elevation of purpose and of aim, which shows how direct was his design to serve and please the master who had appointed him to his office.
That I should be judged - The word rendered "judged" here properly denotes to examine the qualities of any person or thing; and sometimes, as here, to express the result of such examination or judgment. Here it means to "blame" or "condemn."
Of you - By you. Dear as you are to me as a church and a people, yet my main desire is not to secure your esteem, or to avoid your censure, but to please my master, and secure his approbation.
Or of man's judgment - Of any man's judgment. What he had just said, that he esteemed it to be a matter not worth regarding, whatever might be their opinion of him, might seem to look like arrogance, or appear as if he looked upon them with contempt. In order to avoid this construction of his language, he here says that it was not because he despised them, or regarded their opinion as of less value than that of others, but that he had the same feelings in regard to all people. Whatever might be their rank, character, talent, or learning, he regarded it as a matter of the least possible consequence what they thought of him. He was answerable not to them, but to his Master; and he could pursue an independent course whatever they might; think of his conduct. This is designed also evidently to reprove them for seeking so much the praise of each other. The Greek here is "of man's day," where "day" is used, as it often is in Hebrew, to denote the day of trial; the Day of Judgment; and then simply Judgment. Thus, the word יום yowm "day" is used in Job 24:1; Psa 37:13; Joe 1:15; Joe 2:1; Mal 4:1.
Yea, I judge not my own self - I do not attempt to pronounce a judgment on myself. I am conscious of imperfection, and of being biased by self-love in my own favor. I do not feel that my judgment of myself would be strictly impartial, and in all respects to be trusted. Favorable as may be my opinion, yet I am sensible that I may be biased. This is designed to soften what he had just said about their judging him, and to show further the little value which is to be put on the judgment which man may form "If I do not regard my own opinion of myself as of high value, I cannot be suspected of undervaluing you when I say that I do not much regard your opinion; and if I do not estimate highly my own opinion of myself, then it is not to be expected that I should set a high value on the opinions of others" - God only is the infallible judge; and as we and our fellow-men are liable to be biased in our opinions, from envy, ignorance, or self-love, we should regard the judgment of the world as of little value. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
A very small thing (εἰς ἐλάχιστον)
Lit., unto a very small thing: it amounts to very little.
Judged
See on Co1 2:14. Rev., in margin, examined.
Man's judgment (ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας)
Lit., man's day, in contrast with the day of the Lord (Co1 4:5). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Yea, I judge not myself - My final state is not to be determined by my own judgment. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you - Those who preferred Apollos or Kephas before St. Paul, would of course give their reasons for this preference; and these might, in many instances, be very unfavourable to his character as a man, a Christian, or an apostle; of this he was regardless, as he sought not his own glory, but the glory of God in the salvation of their souls.
Or of man's judgment - Η ὑπο ανθρωπινης ἡμερας, literally, or of man's day: but ανθρωπινη ἡμερα signifies any day set apart by a judge or magistrate to try a man on. This is the meaning of ἡμερα, Psa 37:13 : The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his Day, ἡ ἡμερα αυτου, his judgment is coming. Mal 3:17 : And they shall be mine in the Day, εις ἡμεραν, in the judgment, when I make up my jewels. It has the same meaning in Pe2 3:10 : But the Day, the Judgment, of the Lord will come. The word ανθρωπινος, man's, signifies miserable, wretched, woful; so Jer 17:16 : Neither have I desired, יום אנוש yom enosh, the day of man; but very properly translated in our version, the woful day. God's Days, Job 24:1, certainly signify God's Judgments. And the Day of our Lord Jesus, in this epistle, Co1 1:8; Co1 5:5, signifies the day in which Christ will judge the world; or rather the judgment itself.
I judge not mine own self - I leave myself entirely to God, whose I am, and whom I serve. |
4 For [1063] I know [4894] nothing [3762] by myself [1683]; yet [235] am I [1344] not [3756] hereby [1722] [5129] justified [1344]: but [1161] he that judgeth [350] me [3165] is [2076] the Lord [2962].
4 But [1161] ye [5210], brethren [80], are [2075] not [3756] in [1722] darkness [4655], that [2443] that day [2250] should overtake [2638] you [5209] as [5613] a thief [2812].
5 Therefore [5620] judge [2919] nothing [3361] [5100] before [4253] the time [2540], until [2193] [302] the Lord [2962] come [2064], who [3739] both [2532] will bring to light [5461] the hidden things [2927] of darkness [4655], and [2532] will make manifest [5319] the counsels [1012] of the hearts [2588]: and [2532] then [5119] shall every man [1538] have [1096] praise [1868] of [575] God [2316].
13 Every man's [1538] work [2041] shall be made [1096] manifest [5318]: for [1063] the day [2250] shall declare [1213] it, because [3754] it shall be revealed [601] by [1722] fire [4442]; and [2532] the fire [4442] shall try [1381] every man's [1538] work [2041] of what sort [3697] it is [2076].
1 For, behold, the day [03117] cometh [0935], that shall burn [01197] as an oven [08574]; and all the proud [02086], yea, and all that do [06213] wickedly [07564], shall be stubble [07179]: and the day [03117] that cometh [0935] shall burn them up [03857], saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], that it shall leave [05800] them neither root [08328] nor branch [06057].
1 Blow [08628] ye the trumpet [07782] in Zion [06726], and sound an alarm [07321] in my holy [06944] mountain [02022]: let all the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776] tremble [07264]: for the day [03117] of the LORD [03068] cometh [0935], for it is nigh at hand [07138];
15 Alas [0162] for the day [03117]! for the day [03117] of the LORD [03068] is at hand [07138], and as a destruction [07701] from the Almighty [07706] shall it come [0935].
13 The Lord [0136] shall laugh [07832] at him: for he seeth [07200] that his day [03117] is coming [0935].
1 Why, seeing times [06256] are not hidden [06845] from the Almighty [07706], do they that know [03045] him not see [02372] his days [03117]?
5 Therefore [5620] judge [2919] nothing [3361] [5100] before [4253] the time [2540], until [2193] [302] the Lord [2962] come [2064], who [3739] both [2532] will bring to light [5461] the hidden things [2927] of darkness [4655], and [2532] will make manifest [5319] the counsels [1012] of the hearts [2588]: and [2532] then [5119] shall every man [1538] have [1096] praise [1868] of [575] God [2316].
14 But [1161] the natural [5591] man [444] receiveth [1209] not [3756] the things [3588] of the Spirit [4151] of God [2316]: for [1063] they are [2076] foolishness [3472] unto him [846]: neither [2532] [3756] can [1410] he know [1097] them, because [3754] they are spiritually [4153] discerned [350].
5 To deliver [3860] such an one [5108] unto Satan [4567] for [1519] the destruction [3639] of the flesh [4561], that [2443] the spirit [4151] may be saved [4982] in [1722] the day [2250] of the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424].
8 Who [3739] shall [950] also [2532] confirm [950] you [5209] unto [2193] the end [5056], that ye may be blameless [410] in [1722] the day [2250] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547].
1 Why, seeing times [06256] are not hidden [06845] from the Almighty [07706], do they that know [03045] him not see [02372] his days [03117]?
16 As for me, I have not hastened [0213] from being a pastor [07462] to follow [0310] thee: neither have I desired [0183] the woeful [0605] day [03117]; thou knowest [03045]: that which came out [04161] of my lips [08193] was right before [05227] thee [06440].
10 But [1161] the day [2250] of the Lord [2962] will come [2240] as [5613] a thief [2812] in [1722] the night [3571]; in [1722] the which [3739] the heavens [3772] shall pass away [3928] with a great noise [4500], and [1161] the elements [4747] shall melt [3089] with fervent heat [2741], the earth [1093] also [2532] and [2532] the works [2041] that are therein [1722] [846] shall be burned up [2618].
17 And they shall be mine, saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], in that day [03117] when I make up [06213] my jewels [05459]; and I will spare [02550] them, as a man [0376] spareth [02550] his own son [01121] that serveth [05647] him.
13 The Lord [0136] shall laugh [07832] at him: for he seeth [07200] that his day [03117] is coming [0935].