1 Corinthians 4 · Verse 18

1 Corinthians 4:18

Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
1 Corinthians 4:18, King James Version

1 Corinthians 4:18 in other translations

BSBSome of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
WEBNow some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
ASVNow some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
YLTAnd as if I were not coming unto you certain were puffed up;
DARBYBut some have been puffed up, as if I were not coming to you;
BBENow some are full of pride, as if I was not coming to you.
WebsterNow some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

What does 1 Corinthians 4:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. some ... as though I would not come--He guards against some misconstruing (as by the Spirit he foresees they will, when his letter shall have arrived) his sending Timothy, "as though" he "would not come" (or, "were not coming") himself. A puffed-up spirit was the besetting sin of the Corinthians (compare 1Co 1:11; 5:2).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. Now some are puffed up. They are puffed up with vain confidence; they say that I would not dare to come; that I would be afraid to appear among them, to administer discipline, to rebuke them, or to supersede their authority, Probably he had been detained by the demand on his services in other places, and by various providential hinderances from going there, until they supposed that he stayed away from fear. And possibly he might apprehend that they would think he had sent Timothy because he was afraid to come himself. Their conduct was an instance of the haughtiness and arrogance which men will assume when they suppose they are in no danger of reproof or punishment.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Some are puffed up - Some of your teachers act with great haughtiness, imagining themselves to be safe, because they suppose that I shall not revisit Corinth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

In reproving for sin, we should distinguish between sinners and their sins. Reproofs that kindly and affectionately warn, are likely to reform. Though the apostle spoke with authority as a parent, he would rather beseech them in love. And as ministers are to set an example, others must follow them, as far as they follow Christ in faith and practice. Christians may mistake and differ in their views, but Christ and…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 →

1 Corinthians 4:18 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.

ὩςHōsAs toG5613
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐρχομένουerchomenoucomingG2064
δέdenowG1161
μουmouof meG3165
πρὸςprostoG4314
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
ἐφυσιώθησάνephusiōthēsanwere puffed upG5448
τινες·tinessome;G5100

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 4:18

  • 1 Corinthians 5:2

    And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:6-8

    And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:21

    What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6-8; 5:2

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 4:17

    For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:18

    Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:19

    But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas algunos están envanecidos, como si nunca hubiese yo de ir á vosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or quelques-uns se sont enflés d’orgueil, comme si je ne devais pas aller vers vous;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Etliche aber sind aufgeblasen, als ob ich nicht zu euch kommen würde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tamquam non venturus sim ad vos, sic inflati sunt quidam.