1 Corinthians 4:12

And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

1 Corinthians 4:12, King James Version

1 Corinthians 4:12 in other translations

BSB	We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
WEB	We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
ASV	and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
YLT	and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer;
DARBY	and labour, working with our own hands. Railed at, we bless; persecuted, we suffer it;
BBE	And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;
Webster	And labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;

What does 1 Corinthians 4:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. working with our own hands--namely, "even unto this present hour" (1Co 4:11). This is not stated in the narrative of Paul's proceedings at Ephesus, from which city he wrote this Epistle (though it is expressly stated of him at Corinth, compare Ac 18:3, 19). But in his address to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Ac 20:34), he says, "Ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities," &c. The undesignedness of the coincidence thus indirectly brought out is incompatible with forgery.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 12. And labour, etc. This Paul often did. Acts 18:3. Comp. Acts 20:34, 1Thes 2:9, 2Thes 3:8.

Being reviled. That they were often reviled or reproached, their history everywhere shows. See the Acts of the Apostles. They were reviled or ridiculed by the Gentiles as Jews; and by all as Nazarenes, and as deluded followers of Jesus; as the victims of a foolish superstition and enthusiasm.

We bless. We return good for evil. In this they followed the explicit direction of the Saviour. Mt 5:44. The main idea in these passages is, that they, were reviled, were persecuted, etc. The other clauses, "we bless," "we suffer it," etc., seem to be thrown in by the way to show how they bore this ill-treatment. As if he had said, "We are reviled; and what is more, we bear it patiently, and return good for evil." At the same time that he was recounting his trials, he was, therefore, incidentally instructing them in the nature of the gospel, and showing how their sufferings were to be borne; and how to illustrate the excellency of the Christian doctrine.

Being persecuted. Mt 5:11.

We suffer it. We sustain it; we do not revenge it; we abstain from resenting or resisting it.

(b) "labour" Acts 20:34 (c) "reviled" Mt 5:44, Acts 7:60 (+) "suffer" "bear"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 Working with our own hands - They were obliged to labor in order to supply themselves with the necessaries of life while preaching the Gospel to others. This, no doubt, was the case in every place were no Church had been as yet formed: afterwards, the people of God supplied their ministers, according to their power, with food and raiment. Being reviled, we bless, etc. - What a most amiable picture does this exhibit of the power of the grace of Christ! Man is naturally a proud creature, and his pride prompts him always to avenge himself in whatever manner he can, and repay insult with insult. It is only the grace of Christ that can make a man patient in bearing injuries, and render blessing for cursing, beneficence for malevolence, etc. The apostles suffered an indignities for Christ's sake; for it was on his account that they were exposed to persecutions, etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4:7-13

We have no reason to be proud; all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very absurd and inconsistent, if proud of the free gifts of God. St. Paul sets forth his own circumstances, ver. 9 Allusion is made to the cruel spectacles in the Roman games; where men were forced to cut one another to pieces, to…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 4:7-13 →

1 Corinthians 4:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532

κοπιῶμενkopiōmenwe toilG2872

ἐργαζόμενοιergazomenoiworkingG2038

ταῖςtais<the>G3588

ἰδίαιςidiaiswith [our] ownG2398

χερσίν·chersinhands;G5495

λοιδορούμενοιloidoroumenoiBeing reviledG3058

εὐλογοῦμεν,eulogoumenwe bless,G2127

διωκόμενοιdiōkomenoibeing persecutedG1377

ἀνεχόμεθα,anechomethawe endure,G430

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 4:12

1 Peter 3:9
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Romans 12:14
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Matthew 5:11
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Luke 6:28
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Acts 18:3
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Romans 12:20
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
1 Peter 2:23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Peter 3:14
But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

labour.
9:6; Ac 18:3; 20:34; 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:8; 1Ti 4:10
being reviled.
Mt 5:44; Lu 6:28; 23:34; Ac 7:60; Ro 12:14,20; 1Pe 2:23; 3:9; Jude 1:9
being persecuted.
Mt 5:11; 1Pe 3:14; 4:12-14,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Corinthians 4:11
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
1 Corinthians 4:12
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
1 Corinthians 4:13
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y trabajamos, obrando con nuestras manos: nos maldicen, y bendecimos: padecemos persecución, y sufrimos:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et nous prenons de la peine, travaillant de nos propres mains; injuriés, nous bénissons; persécutés, nous le supportons;
German Elberfelder 1871	und mühen uns ab, mit unseren eigenen Händen arbeitend. Geschmäht, segnen wir; verfolgt, dulden wir;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et laboramus operantes manibus nostris: maledicimur, et benedicimus: persecutionem patimur, et sustinemus: