1 Corinthians 4 · Verse 7

1 Corinthians 4:7

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?
1 Corinthians 4:7, King James Version

1 Corinthians 4:7 in other translations

BSBFor who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
WEBFor who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
ASVFor who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?
YLTfor who doth make thee to differ? and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and if thou didst also receive, why dost thou glory as not having received?
DARBYFor who makes thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou hast not received? but if also thou hast received, why boastest thou as not receiving?
BBEFor who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?
WebsterFor 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?

What does 1 Corinthians 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. Translate, "Who distinguisheth thee (above another)?" Not thyself, but God. glory, as if thou hadst not received it--as if it was to thyself, not to God, thou owest the receiving of it.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 7. For who maketh, etc. This verse contains a reason for what Paul had just said; and the reason is, that all that any of them possessed had been derived from God, and no endowments whatever, which they had, could be laid as the foundation for self-congratulation and boasting. The apostle here doubtless has in his eye the teachers in the church of Corinth, and intends to show them that there was no occasion of pride or to assume pre-eminence. As all that they possessed had been given of God, it could not be the occasion of boasting or self-confidence.

To differ from another. Who has separated you from another; or who has made you superior to others. This may refer to everything in which one was superior to others, or distinguished from them. The apostle doubtless has reference to those attainments in piety, talents, or knowledge, by which one teacher was more eminent than others. But the same question may be applied to native endowments of mind; to opportunities of education; to the arrangements by which one rises in the world; to health; to property; to piety; to eminence and usefulness in the church. It is God who makes one, in any of these respects, to differ from others; and it is especially true in regard to personal piety. Had not God interfered and made a difference, all would have remained alike under sin. The race would have together rejected his mercy; and it is only by his distinguishing love that any are brought to believe and be saved.

And what hast thou. Either talent, piety, or learning.

That thou didst not receive? From God. By whatever means you have obtained it, it has been the gift of God.

Why dost thou glory, etc. Why dost thou boast as if it were the result of your own toil, skill, or endeavour. This is not designed to discourage human exertion; but to discourage a spirit of vainglory and boasting. A man who makes the most painful and faithful effort to obtain anything good, will, if successful, trace his success to God. He will still feel that it is God who gave him the disposition, the time, the strength, the success. And he will be grateful that he was enabled to make the effort; not vain, or proud, or boastful, because that he was successful. This passage states a general doctrine, that the reason why one man differs from another is to be traced to God; and that this fact should repress all boasting and glorying, and produce true humility in the minds of Christians. It may be observed, however, that it is as true of intellectual rank, of health, of wealth, of food, of raiment, of liberty, of peace, as it is of religion, that all come from God; and as this fact, which is so obvious and well known, does not repress the exertions of men to preserve their health and to obtain property, so it should not repress their exertions to obtain salvation. God governs the world on the same good principles everywhere; and the fact that he is the Source of all blessings should not operate to discourage, but should prompt to human effort. The hope of his aid and blessing is the only ground of encouragement in any undertaking.

(1) "who maketh" "distinguisheth thee" (c) "what hast thou" Jas 1:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 For who maketh thee to differ - It is likely that the apostle is here addressing himself to some one of those puffed up teachers, who was glorying in his gifts, and in the knowledge he had of the Gospel, etc. As if he had said: If thou hast all that knowledge which thou professest to have, didst thou not receive it from myself or some other of my fellow helpers who first preached the Gospel at Corinth? God never spoke to thee to make thee an apostle. Hast thou a particle of light that thou hast not received from our preaching? Why then dost thou glory, boast, and exult, as if God had first spoken by thee, and not by us? This is the most likely meaning of this verse; and a meaning that is suitable to the whole of the context. It has been applied in a more general sense by religious people, and the doctrine they build on it is true in itself, though it does not appear to me to be any part of the apostle's meaning in this place. The doctrine I refer to is this: God is the foundation of all good; no man possesses any good but what he has derived from God. If any man possess that grace which saves him from scandalous enormities, let him consider that he has received it as a mere free gift from God's mercy. Let him not despise his neighbor who has it not; there was a time when he himself did not possess it; and a time may come when the man whom he now affects to despise, and on whose conduct he is unmerciful and severe, may receive it, and probably may make a more evangelical use of it than he is now doing. This caution is necessary to many religious people, who imagine that they have been eternal objects of God's favor, and that others have been eternal objects of his hate, for no reason that they can show for either the one, or the other. He can have little acquaintance with his own heart, who is not aware of the possibility of pride lurking under the exclamation, Why me! when comparing his own gracious state with the unregenerate state of another.

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 divert the people; and where the victor did not escape with his life, though he should destroy his adversary, but was only kept for another combat, and must be killed at last. The thought that many eyes are upon believers, when struggling with difficulties or temptations, should encourage constancy and patience. "We are weak, but ye are strong." All Christians are not alike exposed. Some suffer greater hardships than others. The apostle enters into particulars of their sufferings. And how glorious the charity and devotion that carried them through all these hardships! They suffered in their persons and characters as the worst and vilest of men; as the very dirt of the world, that was to be swept away: nay, as the offscouring of all things, the dross of all things. And every one who would be faithful in Christ Jesus, must be prepared for poverty and contempt. Whatever the disciples of Christ suffer from men, they must follow the example, and fulfil the will and precepts of their Lord. They must be content, with him and for him, to be despised and abused. It is much better to be rejected, despised, and ill used, as St. Paul was, than to have the good opinion and favour of the world. Though cast off by the world as vile, yet we may be precious to God, gathered up with his own hand, and placed upon his throne.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Corinthians 4:7 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.

τίςtisWhoG5101
γάρgarforG1063
σεseyouG4771
διακρίνει;diakrineimakes different?G1252
τίtiWhatG5101
δὲdenowG1161
ἔχειςecheishave youG2192
ὃhowhichG3739
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔλαβες;elabesyou did receive?G2983
εἰeiIfG1487
δὲdenowG1161
καὶkaievenG2532
ἔλαβες,elabesyou did receive [it],G2983
τίtiwhyG5101
καυχᾶσαιkauchasaiboast youG2744
ὡςhōsasG5613
μὴmēnotG3361
λαβών;labōnhaving received [it]?G2983

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 4:7

  • John 3:27

    John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

  • 1 Peter 4:10

    As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:11-16

    Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. …

  • John 1:16

    And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

  • Romans 12:6

    Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

  • Proverbs 2:6

    For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

  • Luke 19:13

    And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

  • 1 Timothy 1:12-15

    And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:10

    But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

  • Ezekiel 28:2-5

    Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:

  • Romans 9:16-18

    So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
who.
12:4-11; 15:10; Ro 9:16-18; Eph 3:3-5; 2Th 2:12-14; 1Ti 1:12-15
Tit 3:3-7
maketh thee to differ. Gr. distinguisheth thee. and what.
3:5; 7:7; 1Ch 29:11-16; 2Ch 1:7-12; Pr 2:6; Mt 25:14,15; Lu 19:13
Joh 1:16; 3:27; Ro 1:5; 12:6; Jas 1:17; 1Pe 4:10
why.
5:6; 2Ch 32:23-29; Eze 28:2-5; 29:3; Da 4:30-32; 5:18,23
Ac 12:22,23

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 4:6

    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.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:7

    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?

  • 1 Corinthians 4:8

    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.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque ¿quién te distingue? ¿ó qué tienes que no hayas recibido? Y si lo recibiste, ¿de qué te glorías como si no hubieras recibido?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car qui est-ce qui met de la différence entre toi et un autre? Et qu’as-tu, que tu n’aies reçu? Et si aussi tu l’as reçu, pourquoi te glorifies-tu, comme si tu ne l’avais pas reçu?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn wer unterscheidet dich? Was aber hast du, das du nicht empfangen hast? Wenn du es aber auch empfangen hast, was rühmst du dich, als hättest du es nicht empfangen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quis enim te discernit? quid autem habes quod non accepisti? si autem accepisti, quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis?