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1 Corinthians 1:1

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

1 Corinthians 1:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
The Message Bible (MSG)
1 I, Paul, have been called and sent by Jesus, the Messiah, according to God's plan, along with my friend Sosthenes.
American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Paul, called [to be] an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and from Sosthenes, our brother in the Christian faith.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
1 Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and our brother Sosthenes:
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I have been chosen to be an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Our brother Sosthenes joins me in writing.

1 Corinthians 1:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:1

Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ
The author, or rather the writer of the following epistle; for the Holy Ghost was the author and dictator of it, and which was never doubted: he is described by his, name Paul, though his Jewish name was Saul; and very probably he being a Jew by birth, and yet born in a Roman city, might have two names, the one Jewish, the other Gentile; and by the one he went when among the Jews, and by the other when concerned with the Gentiles: and also by his office, "an apostle of Jesus Christ"; immediately called, and sent forth by him; had the Gospel from him by immediate revelation, and a commission to preach it; and which high office was confirmed by signs and wonders, and mighty deeds; by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost conferred on him, and on others under his ministry; and by the eminent success which attended the preaching of the Gospel by him. This his character he the rather mentions, because some in this church, through the insinuations of the false apostles, demurred upon it; whereas this was not a mere name given him by men, and by which he was only commonly called by them, but was an office he was "called" to by Christ; he did not rush into it, or assume it of himself, but had a divine warrant for it; for he was invested with it,

through the will of God:
both by the secret will and purpose of God, by which he was a chosen vessel, to bear the name of Christ among the Gentiles, ( Acts 9:15 ) ; and by the revealed will of God, signified by the Spirit of God, who said, "separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have called them", ( Acts 13:2 ) , and shows, that it was not owing to any worth or merit in him, but purely to the free grace and sovereign will and pleasure of God, that he was made an apostle of Christ:

and Sosthenes our brother.
This seems to be the same man, who was the chief ruler of the synagogue of the Jews at Corinth; and was converted to the Christian faith by the Apostle Paul whilst there, as appears from his favouring the cause of the apostle, for which the Jews beat him before the judgment seat, and yet Gallio the Roman deputy took no notice of it, ( Acts 18:17 ) : in the Syriac dictionary F1 mention is made of one Sosthenes, governor of a city, one of the seventy disciples, who was educated at Pontus, and cast into the sea by the order of Nouna; and is also said to be bishop of Colophon in Ionia, (See Gill on Luke 10:1); but without any reason. This person the apostle joins with him, not as in equal office with him, but as a brother in Christ, and very probably a ministering brother, and a companion of his; and the rather, because he might be well known to the Corinthians, and respected by them; wherefore he chose to join him with him, to show their agreement in doctrine and discipline, and in advice to them, which might have the greater weight with them; see ( Acts 18:17 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Bar Bahluli apud Castel. Lex. Polyglott. col. 2444. Vid. Euseb, Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 12.

1 Corinthians 1:1 In-Context

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—

Cross References 3

  • 1. Romans 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1
  • 2. S 2 Corinthians 1:1
  • 3. Acts 18:17
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