Selections In 1 Corinthians
Chapters 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study work is to give you the original Greek language words and definitions for all the key words in this selected Bible text. This work does not make any effort to interpret the text in question, though some interpretation may occur naturally as a result of the study. The English translation used is the King James (Authorized) Version, not because it is the best translation available, but because I just plain prefer it for study!

All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this website, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE or MSIE 3.0 or higher will be able to read the document easier. Greek tenses are abbreviated as follows:

• GREEK TENSES:
• PR= Present Tense: Shows action in present time. When used with Active Voice, and Indicative Mood, often shows linear or continuing action.
• AO= Aorist Tense : Simple, undefined action. The time of the action is undefined, except in the indicative mood.
• FUT= Future Tense : Shows action of the verb as defined in the future.
• PER= Perfect Tense: The action was completed in the past, but has lasting and continuing results into the future.
• IMP= Imperfect Tense: Used only in the indicative mood, and refers to continuous or linear action in past time. As in "I was having".
• PLPF= Pluperfect Tense: The action was completed in the past, with continuing results in the past.
• GREEK CASES:
• GEN= Genitive Case: Usually indicates possession, though it can denote source of the action.
• INST = Instrumental Case: Usually denotes action on the object of the verb.
• DAT= Dative Case
• NOM= Nominative Case
• ACC= Accusative
• PL= Plural
• SG= Singular
• GREEK VOICES:
• AC= Active Voice: Action was completed by the subject of the verb.
• PAS= Passive Voice: The subject receives the action of the verb.
• MID= Middle Voice: The subject acts in some way upon itself or to itself.
• GREEK MOODS:
• IND= Indicative Mood : Makes an assertion of fact, and is used with all Greek tenses. Example: they will go, she saw.
• OPT= Optative Mood: Rarely used, it usually expresses a wish or desire.
• IMP= Imperative Mood: A command to do something.
• SUBJ= Subjective Mood: Makes an assertion about which there is some doubt, uncertainty, or indefiniteness.
• OTHER ABBREVIATIONS:
• PART= Participle : A verbal adjective, such as "having gone, receiving the gift".
• ABL= Ablative of source: When something is out of something. Example, The Spirit out of God.
• INF= Infinitive: A verbal noun, examples = to see, to go, to throw.

24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
 

25  And every man that striveth for the mastery (agonizomai, struggles for the top prize. The Christian attitude should be to struggle to please Jesus, and thus earn reward. I had an old man tell me one time "I don't work for the prizes", yet in reality this was true - the quality of his work was not such that it would have won a prize. Paul worked for the prizes, and we are no better than Paul - we should work to receive a crown. Not for ourselves, but to honor Jesus with)

is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
 

26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; (adelos, indistinct, hidden, off track. Paul stayed in his runner's lane)

so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
 

27  But I keep under (hupopiazo, subdue, annoy so as to toughen. Whereas most modern day Christians follow after hedonism {if it feels good, do it - for it's paid for on the Cross} Paul followed after Jesus)

my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (adokimos, rejected, unapproved, a moral reprobate)
 
 
 

24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
 

25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, (poieo, Pres Act Imperative = keep on doing this)

as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
 

31  For if we would judge (diakrino, discriminate, discern, examine and thus make a determination about)

ourselves, we should not be judged. (krino, punished, sentenced. God punishes His children who reject the Way)
 

32  But when we are judged,  (krino, punished, sentenced. God punishes His children who reject the Way)

we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
 
 

4  Now there are diversities (diairesis, distinctions between, varieties)

of gifts, but the same Spirit.
 

5  And there are differences of administrations, (diakonia, attendance, service, deacons)

but the same Lord.
 

6  And there are diversities of operations, (energema = effectual working)

but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
 

7  But the manifestation (phanerosis, exhibition, expression)

of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (hama = as a group, with all the others)
 

24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered (sugkerannumi, to blend, commingle, combine as if melding steel or metals)

the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked:
 

25  That there should be no schism (schisma, gap or division)

in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
 

31  But covet (zeloo, Pres Act Imperative = keep on jealously seek after)

earnestly the best (kreitton, Accusative Plural = the more splendid)

gifts: (charisma, Accusative Plural = spiritual gifts)

and yet shew (deiknuo, Pres Act Indicative = teach by illustration or application)

I unto you a more excellent (Prepositional phrase used as an idiom, kata huper bole = beyond all character, beyond all quality)

way. (hodos, road)
 
 

4  Charity suffereth (makrothumeo, long-suffering, forbearing)

long, and is kind; (chresteuomai, acts benevolently)

charity envieth (zeloo, covets or is jealous over)

not; charity vaunteth (perpereuomai, to brag on itself, boast about)

not itself, is not puffed up, (phusioo, making proud)
 

5  Doth not behave (aschemoneo, act unbecoming as a Christian) itself unseemly,

seeketh (zeteo, plot against, seek for)

not her own, is not easily provoked, (paroxuno, exasperated)

thinketh (logizomai, take an inventory of. Most people fall into this category. Rather than resolve issues when they arise, as Jesus demands, and rather than make peace, most people keep an internal tally of slights so they can attack back when the time is right. I recently went through this at a Church, and, sadly, such behavior is not condoned by Jesus Christ)

no evil;
 

Matthew 5:22-24  "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.   Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;   Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matthew 18:15 -17  "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.   But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.   And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." Ephesians 4:26  "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath" If Christians were to obey Christ like they ought, then the Church could be about its business of winning souls. Instead Christians are following Satan rather than Christ in many cases - to the detriment of the Gospel!

6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, (adikia, injustice, moral wrongs)

but rejoiceth (chairo = has a party in)

in the truth;
 

7  Beareth (stego, to cover with silence, to put up with. The opposite of the whining approach many believers seem to take when offended)

all things, believeth (pisteuo, has faith in)

all things, hopeth (elpizo, trusts in, confides in)

all things, endureth (hupomeno, stays under, bears up under, bears)

all things.
 

8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; (katargeo, Fut Pas Ind = will be cancelled)

whether there be tongues, they shall cease; (pauo, Future Middle = will be cut off)

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish (katargeo, Fut Pas Ind = will be cancelled)

away.
 

9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
 

10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
 
 

6  Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking (laleo, to talk, as opposed to logos which refers to refined conversation or doctrine)

with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, (apokalupsis, disclosure, manifestation. Speaking alone in the Church has no value unless it reveals Biblical truths we can apply in our lives)

or by knowledge, (gnosis, experiential knowledge)

or by prophesying, or by doctrine? (didache, the act of instruction,. teaching)
 

10  There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. (aphonos, voiceless, unmeaning)
 

11  Therefore if I know not the meaning (dunamis, force, power, dynamic meaning)

of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, (barbaros = foreigner, heathen)

and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
 

14  For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding (nous, mind, comprehension)

is unfruitful. (akarpos, barren, empty)
 

15  What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding (nous, mind, comprehension) also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
 

16  Else when thou shalt bless (eulogeo, speak well of, make a benediction)

with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned (idiotes = ignorant, idiots, unlearned)

say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
 

17  For thou verily givest thanks well, (kalos = in a beautiful manner)

but the other is not edified.
 

18  I thank my God, I speak with tongues more (mallon, to a greater degree)

than ye all:
 

21  In the law it is written, (grapho, Perfect Tense = it stands written forever)

With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
 

22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, (semeion, indicator, signpost, signal)

not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
 

23  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, (idiotes, ignorant, idiot, unlearned)

or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
 

24  But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, (idiotes, ignorant, idiot, unlearned)

he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
 

25  And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
 

26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, (apokalupsis, disclosure, manifestation)

hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
 

29  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. (diakrino, discern, separate, discriminate)
 
 

3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died (apothnesko, to die from the ultimate source, die alone. At noon darkness covered the Cross, and Jesus died totally alone)

for our sins according to the scriptures; (refers to the Old Testament prophecies)
 

17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; (mataios, empty, profitless, with no purpose)

ye are yet in your sins.
 

20  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits (aparche, the first harvest. This was an ancient farming term. The aparche was to be tithed to God by the Israelite, as it was the best of the crop)

of them that slept.
 

21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
 

22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
 

23  But every man in his own order: (tagma, military review. A military term denoting to pass in review for inspection)

Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
 

29  Else what shall they do which are baptized for (see note following)

the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for (see note following)

the dead?
 

A perplexing problem for New Testament exegetes has been Paul's expression, baptizomenoi huper ton nekron (1 Cor. 15.29). More than thirty interpretations, representing various theological views, have been suggested for this passage. The English translations generally cling to the traditional renderings for the preposition huper.  Accordingly the phrase is rendered "baptized for the dead" by Wycliffe, Geneva, Rheims, King James, Noyes, Englishman's, Syriac, American Standard, Darby, Godbey, Riverside, Weymouth, Knox, Montgomery, Basic, Verktiyl, Lamsa, Confraternity, Arendzen. Worrell has "immersed for" (margin, "on behalf of"), and "on behalf of" is the rendering of Emphatic Diaglott, Davidson, Twentieth Century, Lloyd, Moffatt, Goodspeed, Overbury, Williams, Revised Standard.  Rotherham has "in behalf of"; Fenton, "for the sake of"; and Campbell-Macknight-Doddridge paraphrase it, "immersed for the resurrection of the dead." F. S. Ballentine gives an interpretive rendering, "If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they purified for such an end?" Some take huper in a local sense, "baptized over the dead." Tyndale, Coverdale, Cranmer, and Luther, along with others, held such a view, i.e., that "over the dead" meant over their sepulchers.  But Alford (Henry Alford, The Greek New Testament) rejects such an interpretation, arguing that huper is not used in the local sense in the New Testament. We are sure that the Pauline expression does not indicate any sort of vicarious baptism; i.e., a baptism performed upon living person, to convey benefits to the dead.  The New Testament nowhere teaches such a doctrine. One of the functions of huper in Koine Greek is to denote the cause, basis, or ground of an action.  There are illustrations of the causal use of this preposition in the Septuagint (cf. 1 Chron. 29:9; Jer. 19: 8) and examples have been found in the papyri (E.g., P. Tebt., Part I.50.18; P. Ryl 113.23; 153.25; P. Oxy., Part VIII.1124.4) and in Josephus. (Vol. IV, Jewish Antiquities, II.41) In the New Testament where huper is often used to signify "for the sake of" or "in behalf of" (cf. Acts 15:26; 21:13; III John 7), there is sometimes a causal idea inferred in the construction.  The idea of doing something "for the sake of" an individual or thing may involve also the notion "because of." This dual concept is implied in Paul's statement in Ephesians 6:20, inasmuch as the gospel is both the object and the cause for which the Apostle is bound. Note the same dual thought with huper in 2 Thessalonians 1:5. Such a twofold idea is reflected also in a number of passages regarding sacrifices for sin (cf. Heb. 5:1; 7:27; 9:7; 10:12). There is a clear causal use of huper in Romans 15:9, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God because of (his) mercy." There is adequate grammatical basis for placing the phrase "baptized for the dead" in this same category. Many problems are solved by interpreting huper causally in 1 Corinthians 15:29.  Other renderings for this preposition are unsatisfactory here in the light of the general context of Pauline theology.  A causal interpretation is in harmony with the general tenor of the New Testament as well as being one of the recognized uses of huper in Koine Greek. There is strong logic for translating Paul's statement, "baptized because of the dead" inasmuch as the death of Christians frequently leads to the conversion of their survivors.  It is a well attested fact of history that the exhortations of dying Christians have often constrained loved ones to receive the Christ.  Findlay says, "The hope of future blessedness, allying itself with family affections and friendship, was one of the most powerful factors in the early spread of Christianity." (G.G. Findlay, EGT, Vol II, p. 931) Could not Paul designate such converts "baptized because of the dead" inasmuch as they became Christians through the influence of their beloved dead? Findlay holds this view and remarks, "The obscure passage has, upon this explanation, a large, abiding import suitable to the solemn and elevated context in which it stands."(Loc. cit. )  (Light frojm the Greek New Testament, Boyce W. Blackwelder)

42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; (phthora, decay, ruin)

it is raised in incorruption:
 

50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption  (phthora, decay, ruin)

inherit incorruption.
 

51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
 

52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, (rhipe, reflex jerk of the eye, very quick movement)

at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
 

55  O death, (thanatos = spiritual death, as opposed to nekros, physical death)

where is thy sting? (kentron, prick, point, goad, poisonous gland)

O grave, where is thy victory?
 

56  The sting  (kentron, prick, point, goad, poisonous gland)

of death (thanatos = spiritual death, as opposed to nekros, physical death)

is sin; and the strength (dunamis, dynamic or inherent power)

of sin is the law.