1 Corinthians 4 · Verse 19

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.
1 Corinthians 4:19, King James Version

1 Corinthians 4:19 in other translations

BSBBut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
WEBBut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
ASVBut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
YLTbut I will come quickly unto you, if the Lord may will, and I will know not the word of those puffed up, but the power;
DARBYbut I will come quickly to you, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of those that are puffed up, but the power.
BBEBut I will come to you in a short time, if it is pleasing to the Lord, and I will take note, not of the word of those who are full of pride, but of the power.
WebsterBut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them who are puffed up, but the power.

What does 1 Corinthians 4:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Alford translates, "But come I will"; an emphatical negation of their supposition (1Co 4:18). shortly--after Pentecost (1Co 16:8). if the Lord will--a wise proviso (Jas 4:15). He does not seem to have been able to go as soon as he intended. and will know--take cognizance of. but the power--I care not for their high-sounding "speech," "but" what I desire to know is "their power," whether they be really powerful in the Spirit, or not. The predominant feature of Grecian character, a love for power of discourse, rather than that of godliness, showed itself at Corinth.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. But I will come. It is from no fear of them that I am kept away; and to convince them of this I will come to them speedily.

If the Lord will. If the Lord permit; if by his providence he allows me to go. Paul regarded the entering on a journey as dependent on the will of God; and felt that God had all in his hand. No purpose should be formed without a reference to his will; no plan without feeling that he can easily frustrate it, and disappoint us. See Jas 4:15.

And will know. I will examine; I will put to the test; I will fully understand.

Not the speech, etc. Not their vain and empty boasting; not their confident assertions, and their self-complacent views.

But the power. Their real power. I will put their power to the proof; I will see whether they are able to effect what they affirm; whether they have more real power than I have. I will enter fully into the work of discipline, and will ascertain whether they have such authority in the church, such a power of party and of combination, that they can resist me, and oppose my administration of the discipline which the church needs. "A passage," says Bloomfield, "which cannot, in nerve and rigour, or dignity and composed confidence, be easily paralleled, even in Demosthenes himself."

(a) "if the Lord" Jas 4:15 (&) "will" "permit" (b) "but the power" Gal 2:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 But I will come to you shortly - God being my helper, I fully purpose to visit you; and then I shall put those proud men to the proof, not of their speech - eloquence, or pretensions to great knowledge and influence, but of their power - the authority they profess to have from God, and the evidences of that authority in the works they have performed. See the Introduction, Section 11.

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 4:19 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.

ἐλεύσομαιeleusomaiI will comeG2064
δὲdehoweverG1161
ταχέωςtacheōssoonG5030
πρὸςprostoG4314
ὑμᾶς,humasyou,G4771
ἐὰνeanifG1437
ὁhotheG3588
κύριοςkuriosLordG2962
θελήσῃ,thelēsēwishes,G2309
καὶkaiandG2532
γνώσομαιgnōsomaiI will find outG1097
οὐounotG3756
τὸνtontheG3588
λόγονlogontalkG3056
τῶνtōnof thoseG3588
πεφυσιωμένωνpephusiōmenōnpuffed upG5448
ἀλλὰallabutG235
τὴνtēntheG3588
δύναμιν.dunaminpower.G1411

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 4:19

  • 2 Corinthians 13:1-4

    This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

  • Acts 18:21

    But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

  • Acts 19:21

    After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

  • 1 Corinthians 11:34

    And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:6

    Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

  • 1 Corinthians 4:18

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

  • 2 Corinthians 1:23

    Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:5

    I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

  • Hebrews 6:3

    And this will we do, if God permit.

  • Romans 15:32

    That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:5

    Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.

  • Acts 20:2

    And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I.
14:5; Ac 19:21; 2Co 1:15,17,23; 2:1,2
if.
Ac 18:21; Ro 15:32; Heb 6:3; Jas 4:15
not.
18; 2Co 13:1-4
but.
2:6

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:20

    For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Empero iré presto á vosotros, si el Señor quisiere; y entenderé, no las palabras de los que andan hinchados, sino la virtud.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais j’irai bientôt vers vous, si le Seigneur le veut, et je connaîtrai, non la parole de ceux qui se sont enflés, mais la puissance.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich werde aber bald zu euch kommen, wenn der Herr will, und werde erkennen, nicht das Wort der Aufgeblasenen, sondern die Kraft;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Veniam autem ad vos cito, si Dominus voluerit: et cognoscam non sermonem eorum qui inflati sunt, sed virtutem.