1 Corinthians 3:23 kjv
And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
1 Corinthians 3:23 nkjv
And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
1 Corinthians 3:23 niv
and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
1 Corinthians 3:23 esv
and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
1 Corinthians 3:23 nlt
and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 3 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 6:19-20 | Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit...You were bought at a price. | Possession by God; Sanctification |
| Gal 3:27-28 | Baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. | Unity in Christ; New Identity |
| Rom 14:8 | If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. | Living for God |
| John 17:10 | Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine. | Unity of Christ and believers |
| Phil 1:20 | Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. | Christ as Life and Goal |
| Titus 2:13-14 | Our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us... | Redemption by Christ's sacrifice |
| 1 Peter 1:18-19 | bought with the precious blood of Christ. | Atonement; Redemption |
| Acts 20:28 | shepherd the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. | Christ's acquisition of the church |
| Col 1:13-14 | He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. | Spiritual Liberation; Christ's Kingdom |
| John 10:28 | I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. | Christ's protection; Eternal security |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Contrast of Sin and Grace |
| Rev 5:9 | you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. | Universal redemption; Christ's sacrifice |
| Eph 5:25-27 | Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word... | Christ's love for the Church; Sanctification |
| 2 Cor 5:15 | and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. | Dying to Self; Living for Christ |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. | Intimate connection; Dependence |
| Matt 16:18 | And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church... | Christ building the Church |
| Heb 12:2 | fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. | Focus on Jesus |
| Phil 2:5-8 | Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus... humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! | Christ's Humility and Obedience |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. | God's Love; Belief in Christ |
| Acts 4:12 | Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. | Exclusivity of Christ for Salvation |
1 Corinthians 3 verses
1 Corinthians 3 23 Meaning
This verse asserts absolute Christian ownership of believers by Christ. It emphasizes belonging, authority, and purpose tied to Christ. Believers are fundamentally His, not their own or anyone else's, whether it be a specific spiritual leader or an earthly affiliation.
1 Corinthians 3 23 Context
This verse concludes chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, which deals with divisions within the Corinthian church. Paul contrasts different spiritual leaders (like Apollos and himself) and emphasizes that these leaders are merely servants who help believers grow in their faith. The Corinthian church was mistakenly placing ultimate allegiance in these leaders rather than in Christ. Chapter 3 highlights that true spiritual progress is a work of God, not attributable to human eloquence or leadership styles. Paul's aim is to redirect their focus from partisan loyalties to the ultimate head of the church, who is Christ. The overarching theme is that believers belong to Christ, who is the ultimate foundation and owner of the church.
1 Corinthians 3 23 Word Analysis
- All (πάντα - panta): This pronoun signifies completeness or totality. It refers to everything and everyone that constitutes the church, the community of believers. This means both the collective body and each individual member are included. It signifies that no part of the church or any believer is excluded from Christ's ownership.
- you (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): The plural form of "you," addressing the entire Corinthian congregation directly. This reinforces the communal aspect of belonging.
- belong to (ἐστὶν - estin): This is the third-person singular present indicative form of the verb "to be" (εἰμί - eimi). Here, it functions to declare possession or fundamental nature. It's a strong declaration of ownership, indicating a foundational relationship and belonging.
- Christ (Χριστοῦ - Christou): This is the genitive singular of Χριστός (Christos), meaning "Christ," the anointed one, Jesus. It denotes that Christ is the owner. The genitive case shows possession, belonging to Christ.
Words Group Analysis:
- "All of you belong to Christ" (πάντα δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ): This concise phrase emphatically states a universal and exclusive ownership. The order in the Greek places "all of you" first for emphasis, followed by the declaration of belonging to "Christ." The omission of the verb "belong" (as noted by the use of the present indicative of "to be" linking the subject and possessor) makes the statement even more direct and absolute.
1 Corinthians 3 23 Bonus Section
The declaration that "you belong to Christ" (ὑμεῖς δὲ Χριστοῦ) directly addresses the problem of divisions in Corinth, who were aligning themselves with different human leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas). This verse effectively dismantles those divisions by establishing a higher, unifying principle of belonging. It points to Christ as the supreme authority and owner, overriding any secondary affiliations. Furthermore, this statement implies that Christ equips and empowers those who belong to Him for His purposes, further reinforcing that human leaders are merely instruments in His hands for the building up of the church. The theological concept of redemption underlies this sense of ownership, as Christ "bought" believers with His blood, making them His possession (1 Cor 6:20; Rev 5:9). This ownership is absolute and eternal.
1 Corinthians 3 23 Commentary
This verse is a powerful reminder of our identity in Christ. It refutes any notion of spiritual superiority or exclusive allegiance to any leader or group within the church. The Corinthian believers were falling into the trap of sectarianism, dividing themselves based on who baptized them or whose teachings they followed most closely. Paul counters this by declaring that every single believer, collectively and individually, belongs to Christ alone. This belonging is not a casual affiliation but a profound, purchased possession, affirmed by Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. It means our lives, our gifts, and our ultimate destiny are bound to Him. This ownership implies authority – He has the right to direct us – and responsibility – we are to live for Him, for we are no longer our own. It is the ultimate affirmation of Christian identity, placing Christ at the center of all things in the life of the believer and the church.