1 Corinthians 4:12

Tyndale New Testament

and laboure workinge with oure awne hondes. We are revysed and yet we blesse. We are persecuted and suffer it.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
We daywork to earn a living. We bless those who cuss us and we let it slide when we are abused.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

Legacy Standard Bible
and we labor, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

Bible in Basic English
And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;

Darby Translation
and labour, working with our own hands. Railed at, we bless; persecuted, we suffer [it];

Christian Standard Bible®
we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

World English Bible
We toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Weymouth's New Testament
Homes we have none. Wearily we toil, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we bear it patiently;

King James Version (1611)
And labour, working with our owne hands: being reuiled, wee blesse: being persecuted, we suffer it:

Literal Translation
and labor, working with our own hands. Being cursed, we bless; persecuted, we bear;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and laboure and worke with oure awne handes. We are reuyled, and yet we blesse: we are persecuted, and suffre it:

Mace New Testament (1729)
we are fatigu'd by our manual toil: when reviled, we pray: when persecuted, we don't repine:

Amplified Bible
We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure.

American Standard Version
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

Revised Standard Version
and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

Update Bible Version
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

Webster's Bible Translation
And labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;

Young's Literal Translation
and labour, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer;

New Century Version
We work hard with our own hands for our food. When people curse us, we bless them. When they hurt us, we put up with it.

New English Translation
We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure,

Berean Standard Bible
We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

Contemporary English Version
We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient.

Complete Jewish Bible
we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands for our living. When we are cursed, we keep on blessing; when we are persecuted, we go on putting up with it;

English Standard Version
and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And labour, working with our owne handes: we are reuiled, and yet we blesse: we are persecuted, and suffer it.

George Lamsa Translation
And labor, working with our own hands: being cursed we bless, being persecuted, we endure it;

Hebrew Names Version
We toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

International Standard Version
We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure.Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28; 23:34; Acts 7:60; 18:3; 20:34; Romans 12:14,20; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Peter 2:23; 3:9;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and we labour, working with our hands. They revile us, and we bless; they persecute us, and we endure;

Murdock Translation
and we toil, working with our own hands: they defame us, and we bless: they persecute us, and we endure it:

New King James Version
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

New Living Translation
We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

New Life Bible
We work with our hands to make a living. We speak kind words to those who speak against us. When people hurt us, we say nothing.

English Revised Version
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

New Revised Standard
and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we hold on,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it.

King James Version
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Lexham English Bible
and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And labour, working with our owne handes. We are reuyled, and we blesse. We are persecuted, and suffer it.

Easy-to-Read Version
We work hard with our own hands to feed ourselves. When people insult us, we ask God to bless them. When people treat us badly, we accept it.

New American Standard Bible
and we labor, working with our own hands; when we are verbally abused, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

Good News Translation
we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and we ben vnstable, and we trauelen worchynge with oure hondis; we ben cursid, and we blessen; we suffren persecucioun, and we abiden longe; we ben blasfemyd, and we bisechen;

Contextual Overview

⁷ For who preferreth the? What hast thou that thou hast not receaved? Yf thou have receaved it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receaved it? ⁸ Now ye are full: now ye are made rych: ye raygne as kinges with out vs: and I wold to god ye dyd raygne that we might raygne with you. ⁹ Me thinketh that God hath set forth vs which are Apostles for the lowest of all as it were me appoynted to deeth. For we are a gasyngestocke vnto the worlde and to ye angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are foles for Christes sake and ye are wyse thorow Christ. We are weake and ye are stroge. Ye are honorable and we are despised. ¹¹ Eve vnto this daye we honger and thyrst and are naked and are boffetted wt fistes and have no certayne dwellinge place ¹² and laboure workinge with oure awne hondes. We are revysed and yet we blesse. We are persecuted and suffer it. ¹³ We are evyll spoken of and we praye. We are made as it were the filthynes of the worlde the ofscowringe of all thinges even vnto this tyme.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

labour: 1 Corinthians 9:6, Acts 18:3, Acts 20:34, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 1 Timothy 4:10

being reviled: Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28, Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60, Romans 12:14, Romans 12:20, 1 Peter 2:23, 1 Peter 3:9, Jude 1:9

being persecuted: Matthew 5:11, 1 Peter 3:14, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 1 Peter 4:19

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 13:14 - sitting Psalms 89:51 - they have Matthew 26:52 - Put John 9:28 - they 1 Corinthians 9:12 - but 1 Corinthians 9:15 - I have 1 Corinthians 9:27 - I keep 2 Corinthians 6:4 - necessities 2 Corinthians 11:27 - in hunger Ephesians 1:1 - which Philippians 4:11 - in respect 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - to work

Cross-References

Romans 8:20
because the creatures are subdued to vanyte agaynst their will: but for his will which subdueth them in hope.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And labour, working with our own hands,.... As the apostle did at Corinth, Acts 18:3 and elsewhere; partly to minister to his own necessities, and those of others; and partly that he might not be burdensome to the churches; and also to set an example of diligence and industry to others; though he had a right and power to claim a maintenance of those to whom he ministered.

Being reviled, we bless; as Christ commanded, Matthew 5:44 and the apostle himself directed and exhorted to, Romans 12:14

being persecuted, we suffer it; that is, patiently; neither resisting our persecutors, nor murmuring and repining at our unhappy circumstances; but taking all in good part, as what is the will of God, and will make for his glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And labour ... - This Paul often did. See the note at Acts 18:3; compare Acts 20:34; 1Th 2:9. 2 Thessalonians 3:8.

Being reviled - That they were often reviled or reproached, their history everywhere shows. See the Acts of the Apostles. They were reviled or ridiculed as Jews by the Gentiles; and jeered by all as “Nazarenes,” and as deluded followers of Jesus; as the victims of a foolish superstition and enthusiasm.

We bless - We return good for evil. In this they followed the explicit direction of the Saviour; see the note at Matthew 5:44. The main idea in these passages is, that they were reviled, were persecuted, etc. The other clauses, “we bless,” “we suffer it,” etc. seem to be thrown in “by the way” to show how they bore this ill treatment. As if he had said “we are reviled; and what is more, we bear it patiently, and return good for evil.” At the same time, that he was recounting his trials, he was, therefore, incidentally instructing them in the nature of the gospel, and showing how their sufferings were to be borne; and how to illustrate the excellency of the Christian doctrine.

Being persecuted - See the note at Matthew 5:11.

We suffer it - We sustain it; we do not revenge it; we abstain from resenting or resisting it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 4:12. Working with our own hands — They were obliged to labour in order to supply themselves with the necessaries of life while preaching the Gospel to others. This, no doubt, was the case in every place were no Church had been as yet formed: afterwards, the people of God supplied their ministers, according to their power, with food and raiment.

Being reviled, we bless, c.] What a most amiable picture does this exhibit of the power of the grace of Christ! Man is naturally a proud creature, and his pride prompts him always to avenge himself in whatever manner he can, and repay insult with insult. It is only the grace of Christ that can make a man patient in bearing injuries, and render blessing for cursing, beneficence for malevolence, &c. The apostles suffered an indignities for Christ's sake for it was on his account that they were exposed to persecutions, &c.