1 Corinthians 1:4 kjv

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

1 Corinthians 1:4 nkjv

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 1:4 niv

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:4 esv

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 1:4 nlt

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1 verses

1 Corinthians 1 4 Meaning

1 Corinthians 1:4 expresses Paul's deep and unceasing gratitude to God for the Corinthian believers. His thanksgiving is rooted not in their achievements or current spiritual state, but exclusively in God's undeserved favor—His grace—which was bestowed upon them and accessed solely through their relationship and union with Christ Jesus. This verse establishes that the foundation of their salvation and spiritual blessings is an unearned divine gift, providing a crucial theological anchor before Paul addresses their numerous imperfections and issues throughout the rest of the letter.

1 Corinthians 1 4 Context

First Corinthians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christian church in Corinth. Corinth was a vibrant, wealthy, and strategically important Roman city, but also notoriously cosmopolitan and ethically challenging due to its diverse population, rampant idolatry, and widespread immorality. The Christian community in Corinth, established by Paul, reflected many of the city's complex characteristics, suffering from internal factions, pride, lawsuits among believers, moral compromises, and misuse of spiritual gifts.

Despite these significant issues, Paul, consistent with his letter-writing custom, initiates his correspondence with a section of thanksgiving (1 Cor 1:4-9). This introductory gratitude is not mere formality; it serves multiple critical purposes. It establishes Paul's genuine pastoral affection, sets a theological foundation by affirming God's past work and ongoing faithfulness to them "in Christ," and implicitly contrasts God's divine provision with the Corinthians' human failings which will be addressed comprehensively from 1 Cor 1:10 onward. By focusing on God's grace and gifts at the outset, Paul redirects the Corinthians' perspective to God's benevolent initiative and sets the benchmark for true Christian living.

1 Corinthians 1 4 Word analysis

• I always thank: The Greek word for "thank" is eucharisto (εὐχαριστῶ), a verb frequently used by Paul to convey heartfelt gratitude. The addition of "always" (pantote - πάντοτε) highlights the constancy and sincerity of Paul's prayers for them. It indicates that his thanksgiving for the Corinthian believers is habitual and ongoing, a foundational attitude rooted in his deep theological understanding of God's work.
• my God: This phrasing reflects Paul's profound and personal relationship with God. However, in this context, it also underscores that the thanksgiving is directed to the one true God, who is actively engaged in the lives of the Corinthians, implicitly contrasting Him with the numerous pagan deities worshipped in their city. It points to the sovereign source of all spiritual blessings.
• for you: This direct address specifically identifies the Corinthian believers as the objects of Paul's thanksgiving. It emphasizes the personal nature of Paul's pastoral care, indicating that despite their issues, he genuinely appreciates their calling and standing in Christ.
• because of his grace: The Greek term for "grace" is charis (χάρις), signifying unmerited favor, divine kindness, or a freely given spiritual gift. This word identifies the fundamental reason for Paul's gratitude: all good things about their spiritual existence derive entirely from God's undeserved generosity, not from any human merit or effort. Grace is a core tenet of Pauline theology.
• given you: The verb form used here (dotheisan - δοθεῖσαν) is an aorist participle, indicating a past, completed action. This signifies that grace was definitively bestowed upon the Corinthians at a specific point in time, likely at their conversion when they embraced faith in Christ and received the Holy Spirit. It highlights the divine initiative and active impartation of this unearned spiritual gift.
• in Christ Jesus: This pivotal phrase, en Christō Iēsou (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ), is a distinctive and recurring motif in Pauline theology, appearing over 160 times. It describes the spiritual realm, condition, or intimate union believers enter through faith. All of God's saving grace, blessings, and transformation are realized and experienced in Christ Jesus. It means that Christ is not merely an external agent but the very sphere within which their spiritual life exists and flourishes, emphasizing His central and indispensable role in their redemption and spiritual endowments.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "I always thank my God for you": This introductory statement is characteristic of Paul's epistles. It immediately sets a tone of positive affirmation, conveying Paul's constant intercession and a deep recognition of God's hand in their community, even when serious issues require rebuke. This prevents the following critiques from being perceived as purely negative, grounding them in a deeper love and theological appreciation for what God has done.
  • "because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus": This phrase encapsulates the profound theological reason for Paul's thanksgiving. It pinpoints that the ultimate source of any commendable spiritual attribute or blessing among the Corinthians is God's gratuitous and active favor. The pairing of "grace given" with "in Christ Jesus" asserts that these spiritual blessings are freely granted by God and made uniquely accessible through one's spiritual union with Jesus the Messiah. This emphasizes divine initiative and Christ's absolute centrality in salvation and spiritual life, regardless of human performance or shortcomings.

1 Corinthians 1 4 Bonus section

The seemingly polite opening of 1 Corinthians 1:4 (and extending to verse 9) carries a subtle yet powerful prophetic edge. By emphasizing what God has already "given" to the Corinthians through "grace in Christ Jesus"—which includes "every spiritual gift" (v. 7) and establishment "blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8) due to God's faithfulness (v. 9)—Paul implicitly creates a theological tension with the deeply flawed reality of the Corinthian church. The profound gratitude he expresses for their divine endowment paradoxically highlights the stark contrast between who God has called them to be in Christ and how they are actually behaving. This initial theological emphasis on God's finished work and the spiritual resources available through grace provides the implicit standard against which all their future problems—factionalism, spiritual pride, immorality, misuse of gifts—will be measured. It subtly rebukes their worldly wisdom and boasting (which Paul directly addresses in 1 Cor 1:18-31) by grounding all true blessings and capabilities in God's unmerited gift received solely through Christ.

1 Corinthians 1 4 Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:4 functions as a foundational declaration of divine sovereignty and grace that underpins Paul's entire letter. Before diving into the specific dysfunctions within the Corinthian church (divisions, immorality, misuse of gifts), Paul intentionally opens with profound gratitude to God for them. This isn't superficial flattery; it's a profound theological grounding. It highlights that the Corinthians, despite their current flaws, have fundamentally been recipients of God's unmerited favor ("his grace"), which was actively bestowed upon them "in Christ Jesus." This initial divine act—their salvation and spiritual endowment—defines their true identity and blessings. Paul is affirming that God has indeed worked mightily among them, reminding them and himself of this glorious, unchangeable reality. This bedrock of grace sets the stage, providing the theological lens through which all subsequent admonishments will be given, appealing to who they are in Christ rather than merely listing their faults. This approach serves to motivate correction, implying that if they are truly defined by God's grace, their conduct should align with this exalted calling.

• Practical usage example: When assessing or addressing problems within a Christian group or individual life, begin by affirming God's foundational work of grace. This shifts focus from blaming or despair to remembering God's initial and ongoing faithfulness, providing a powerful motive for repentance, reconciliation, and growth from a place of identity in Christ rather than shame.