1 Corinthians 3:13 kjv
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:13 nkjv
each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:13 niv
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.
1 Corinthians 3:13 esv
each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
1 Corinthians 3:13 nlt
But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value.
1 Corinthians 3 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 3:14 | If what he built survives, he will receive his reward. | Consequence of enduring works |
| 1 Cor 3:15 | If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; however, he himself will be saved, but only as through the fire. | Consequence of combustible works |
| Matt 7:24-27 | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise builder who built his house... | Analogy of obedience and lasting foundations |
| Rom 14:10-12 | ...we will all stand before God's judgment seat. | Future accountability before God |
| Rev 20:12 | I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened... | Final judgment of all works |
| Heb 4:12-13 | For the word of God is alive and active... Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. | God's discerning knowledge of all things |
| 2 Tim 2:15 | Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who does not need to be ashamed... | Diligence in Christian service |
| Ps 62:11-12 | God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that strength belongs to God. | God's authority and judgment |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding... | Reliance on God's wisdom over human reasoning |
| Acts 17:31 | He has set a day when he will judge the whole world with righteousness by the man he has destined for this. | Appointed day of judgment |
| Jer 17:9-10 | The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart... | God's search of the heart and motives |
| Gal 6:7-8 | Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps whatever he sows. | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes... | Postponement of judgment |
| 1 Peter 1:6-7 | These have come so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be found... | Testing of faith and its value |
| Mal 3:2-3 | But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire... | Metaphor of refining fire for judgment |
| Eph 5:8-11 | Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth— and test by yourself what is pleasing to the Lord. | Testing of deeds and alignment with God’s will |
| John 3:21 | But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works are done in God. | Works revealed in light, demonstrating origin |
| 1 John 4:17 | This is how love is made complete among us so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment: Just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world. | Confidence on judgment day through love |
| Eccl 12:14 | For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. | Universal accountability for all deeds |
| Rom 2:5-6 | But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of judgment, when God "will repay each person according to what he has done." | Divine retribution based on actions |
| John 15:1-6 | I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. | Analogy of bearing fruit through abiding in Christ |
1 Corinthians 3 verses
1 Corinthians 3 13 Meaning
This verse describes the scrutiny every individual's work will undergo at the judgment of Christ. The day of judgment will reveal the quality of each person's actions and dedication. What is built on the foundation of Christ with proper materials (gold, silver, precious stones) will endure, while works built with inferior materials (wood, hay, straw) will be consumed. This indicates that actions stemming from genuine faith and obedience to Christ will stand, while those done for impure motives or based on flawed human wisdom will not.
1 Corinthians 3 13 Context
This verse is part of a larger discourse in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 where the Apostle Paul is addressing divisions within the Corinthian church. The Corinthians were aligning themselves with different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas), creating factions. Paul emphasizes that these leaders are merely servants through whom the Corinthians believed. He contrasts human wisdom and works with God's wisdom, explaining that genuine spiritual growth and contribution to the church will be evaluated. Verse 13 specifically addresses the "day of judgment," a future event where each believer's service and doctrine will be tested by fire to determine its worth. This serves as a warning against building on a faulty foundation or using flawed materials in one's spiritual labor.
1 Corinthians 3 13 Word Analysis
- ὅτε (hote): "when" - Introduces the temporal clause concerning the Day of Judgment.
- ἕκαστος (hēkastos): "each one" - Emphasizes individual accountability, not corporate or group judgment for individual deeds.
- τὸ ἔργον (to ergon): "the work" - Refers to the labor, actions, and doctrines of each believer in their service to God and the church. It encompasses what has been built by the individual upon the foundation of Christ.
- οἷόν ἐστιν (hoion estin): "what sort it is" - Inquires into the nature, quality, and substance of the work.
- φανερώσει (phanerōsei): "will make manifest" or "will reveal" - Indicates that the judgment day will expose the true character of the work.
- τὸ πῦρ (to pyr): "the fire" - A symbolic representation of the testing agent in the divine judgment, indicating the severity and purifying nature of the examination. This fire is not for condemnation of the person but for testing the quality of their works.
Word Groups:
- "the day of each one's work": This phrase highlights that the judgment is not a singular event for all, but a time of evaluation specific to each individual's deeds.
- "what sort it is": This points to a qualitative assessment, looking beyond mere quantity or outward appearance to the underlying motivation, purity, and eternal value of the actions.
1 Corinthians 3 13 Bonus Section
The concept of divine judgment by fire is seen in various Old Testament passages, such as the purification of Israel. In Zechariah 13:9, a remnant will be tested and refined like silver and gold. The imagery here connects with the purifying nature of trials that refine faith, as Peter describes in 1 Peter 1:6-7. The ultimate foundation is Christ Himself, as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 3:11. This examination is not to condemn the faithful believer, but to confirm their genuine service and bestow rewards accordingly, affirming the secure position of believers in Christ while holding them accountable for the quality of their contributions to His kingdom.
1 Corinthians 3 13 Commentary
The Lord's judgment will be a time of revealing the true essence of our labor for Him. It is not about the building itself, but the materials used. If our ministry and life's work are built with eternal values—faith, love, obedience, and sound doctrine (symbolized by gold, silver, precious stones)—they will withstand God's refining fire and earn eternal reward. Conversely, if our efforts are tainted with pride, worldly motives, or false teachings (wood, hay, straw), they will be consumed, resulting in loss for the individual, though their salvation is secured if Christ is the foundation. This underscores the importance of right motives and grounding our service in biblical truth.