The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 1:4 Explained

1 Corinthians 1:4

KJV: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

YLT: I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus,

Darby: I thank my God always about you, in respect of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus;

ASV: I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I thank  my  God  always  on  your  behalf,  for  the grace  of God  which  is given  you  by  Jesus  Christ; 

What does 1 Corinthians 1:4 Mean?

Study Notes

for the grace
Grace (imparted). 1 Corinthians 3:10 ; Romans 6:1 ; 2 Peter 3:18 .

Verse Meaning

Paul was grateful that God had poured out His unmerited favor and divine enablement (i.e, His grace) on the Corinthian believers through Christ Jesus. He usually referred to the Lord as Christ Jesus rather than as Jesus Christ. This put the emphasis on His divine character as Messiah rather than on His human nature and encouraged his readers to submit to Him as their Lord.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 1:1-11 - Enriched And United In Christ
It was pleasant to the church at Corinth to realize that one of their own number was associated with the Apostle in his great ministry. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:1 with Acts 18:17. We have been sanctified in Christ in the purpose of God, but we must make our calling sure by living as saints. Note Paul's liberality-it was enough for him if men called on Jesus as their Lord. Such he could receive as brothers. There was no strain of narrow sectarianism in his nature.
If we would live a true life, we must draw on Jesus Christ. Our riches are in Him, awaiting our claiming and use. The unsearchable riches of Christ are at our disposal, but we must appropriate and use them. Let us begin to live as God's heirs. Utterance and knowledge are ours through the Holy Spirit. We have looked into ourselves for them. That is the mistake! We must look up and reach down. God has called us into partnership with His Son. We share His sorrows, sufferings, and labors for a world's conversion; He bids us share in His grace. The perfecting of 1 Corinthians 1:10 is the weaving together of a rent. Paul's object in this Epistle was the ending of the strife that had divided the Corinthian church. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 1

1  After his salutation and thanksgiving for the Corinthians,
10  Paul exhorts them to unity,
12  and reproves their dissensions
18  God destroys the wisdom of the wise,
21  by the foolishness of preaching;
26  and calls not the wise, mighty, and noble,
28  but the foolish, weak, and men of no account

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 1:4

I thank my God [ευχαριστω τωι τεωι]
Singular as in Romans 1:8; Philemon 1:3; Philemon 1:4, but plural in 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Colossians 1:3. The grounds of Paul‘s thanksgivings in his Epistles are worthy of study. Even in the church in Corinth he finds something to thank God for, though in II Cor. there is no expression of thanksgiving because of the acute crisis in Corinth nor is there any in Galatians. But Paul is gracious here and allows his general attitude (always, παντοτε — pantote) concerning (περι — peri around) the Corinthians to override the specific causes of irritation. [source]
For the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus [επι τηι χαριτι του τεου τηι δοτεισηι υμιν εν Χριστωι Ιησου]
Upon the basis of (επι — epi) God‘s grace, not in general, but specifically given (δοτεισηι — dotheisēi first aorist passive participle of διδωμι — didōmi), in the sphere of (εν — en as in 1 Corinthians 1:2) Christ Jesus. [source]
I thank [εὐχαριστῶ]
Found in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation, but most frequently in Paul. [source]
My God []
Some very high authorities omit. The pronoun implies close personal relationship. Compare Acts 27:23; Philemon 1:3; Philemon 3:8. [source]
By Christ Jesus [ἐν]
Better, as Rev., in; in fellowship with. The element or sphere in which the grace is manifested. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 1:4

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you [παρακαλω δε υμας]
Old and common verb, over 100 times in N.T., to call to one‘s side. Corresponds here to ευχαριστω — eucharistō I thank, in 1 Corinthians 1:4. Direct appeal after the thanksgiving. [source]
1 Corinthians 1:14 I thank God [ευχαριστω τωι τεωι]
See 1 Corinthians 1:4, though uncertain if τωι τεωι — tōi theōi is genuine here. [source]
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed [ευλογητος]
From old verb ευλογεω — eulogeō to speak well of, but late verbal in lxx and Philo. Used of men in Genesis 24:31, but only of God in N.T. as in Luke 1:68 and chiefly in Paul (2 Corinthians 11:31; Romans 1:25). Paul has no thanksgiving or prayer as in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, but he finds his basis for gratitude in God, not in them. [source]
Galatians 5:8 This persuasion [ἡ πεισμονὴ]
Or, the persuasion. N.T.oolxx, oClass. It occurs in Ignatius, Rom. iii.: and Just. Mart. Ap. i. 53. The sense is not passive, your being persuaded, but active, the persuasion which the Judaising teachers exert over you. Comp. 1 Corinthians 1:4, πιθοῖς λόγοις persuasivewords. There may be a slight word play on πείθεσθαι and πεισμονὴ . Obedience to the truth is the result of the persuasive power of the truth. [source]
Colossians 1:5 For the hope [διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα]
The A.V. connects with we give thanks (Colossians 1:3). But the two are too far apart, and Paul's introductory thanksgiving is habitually grounded on the spiritual condition of his readers, not on something objective. See Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:15. Better connect with what immediately precedes, love which ye have, and render as Rev., because of the hope, etc. Faith works by love, and the ground of their love is found in the hope set before them. Compare Romans 8:24. The motive is subordinate, but legitimate. “The hope laid up in heaven is not the deepest reason or motive for faith and love, but both are made more vivid when it is strong. It is not the light at which their lamps are lit, but it is the odorous oil which feeds their flame” (Maclaren). Hope. See on 1 Peter 1:3. In the New Testament the word signifies both the sentiment of hope and the thing hoped for. Here the latter. Compare Titus 2:13; Galatians 5:5; Hebrews 6:18; also Romans 8:24, where both meanings appear. Lightfoot observes that the sense oscillates between the subjective feeling and the objective realization. The combination of faith, hope, and love is a favorite one with Paul. See 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Romans 5:1-5; Romans 12:6-12. [source]
1 Thessalonians 1:2 Always [παντοτε]
Late word, rare in lxx. So with ευχαριστεω — eucharisteō in 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 5:20; Philemon 1:3. Moffatt takes it to mean “whenever Paul was at his prayers.” Of course, he did not make audible prayer always, but he was always in the spirit of prayer, “a constant attitude” (Milligan), “in tune with the Infinite.” For you all (περι παντων υμων — peri pantōn humōn). Paul “encircled (περι — peri around) them all,” including every one of them and the church as a whole. Distance lends enchantment to the memory of slight drawbacks. Paul is fond of this phrase “you all,” particularly in Phil. (Philemon 1:3, Philemon 1:7). Making mention Paul uses this very idiom in Romans 1:9; Ephesians 1:16; Philemon 1:4. Milligan cites a papyrus example of μνειαν ποιουμενοι — mneian poioumenoi in prayer (B. Y. U. 652, 5). Did Paul have a prayer list of the Thessalonian disciples which he read over with Silas and Timothy? In here is επι — epi = “in the time of our prayers.” “Each time that they are engaged in prayers the writers mention the names of the converts” (Frame). [source]
2 Timothy 1:3 I thank [χαριν εχω]
“I have gratitude.” As in 1 Timothy 1:12. Robinson cites examples of this phrase from the papyri. It occurs also in Luke 17:9; Acts 2:47. Χαρις — Charis in doxologies Paul uses (1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 8:16; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Romans 6:17; Romans 7:25). His usual idiom is ευχαριστω — eucharistō (1 Corinthians 1:4; Romans 1:8; Philemon 1:4; Philemon 1:3) or ευχαριστουμεν — eucharistoumen (1 Thessalonians 1:2; Colossians 1:3) or ου παυομαι ευχαριστων — ou pauomai eucharistōn (Ephesians 1:16) or ευχαριστειν οπειλομεν — eucharistein opheilomen (2 Thessalonians 1:3). [source]
Philemon 1:4 Thank - always []
Construe with thank. For similar introductory thanksgivings compare Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philemon 1:3; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:3. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 1:4 mean?

I thank the God of me always concerning you for the grace - of God - having been given you in Christ Jesus
Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ ‹μου› πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ δοθείσῃ ὑμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Εὐχαριστῶ  I  thank 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εὐχαριστέω  
Sense: to be grateful, feel thankful.
Θεῷ  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
‹μου›  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
πάντοτε  always 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάντοτε  
Sense: at all times, always, ever.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
χάριτι  grace 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δοθείσῃ  having  been  given 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
Χριστῷ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.