1 Corinthians 4:16

Contextual Overview

¹⁴I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. ¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁴But don't think I'm trying to make you feel bad about yourselves. I'm warning you what real cowboying for the Lord is like. ¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴ I am not saying these things to put you to shame, but so that, as my dear children, you may see what is right. ¹⁴ Not [as] chiding do I write these things to you, but as my beloved children I admonish [you]. ¹⁴ I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁴ I don't write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Corinthians 11:1, John 10:4, John 10:5, Philippians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:9, Hebrews 13:7, 1 Peter 5:3

Reciprocal: 1 Corinthians 1:10 - I beseech Ephesians 4:1 - beseech 2 Thessalonians 3:7 - how 3 John 1:11 - follow

Cross-References

Genesis 3:8
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
Then they heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God in the midst of the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voyce of the Lord God, walkyng in the garden in ye coole of the day: and Adam and his wyfe hyd themselues from the presence of the lord God amongst ye trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
During the cool part of the day, the Lord God was walking in the garden. The man and the woman heard him, and they hid among the trees in the garden.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
And whanne thei herden the vois of the Lord God goynge in paradijs at the wynd after myddai, Adam and his wijf hidden hem fro the face of the Lord God in the middis of the tre of paradijs.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voyce of the LORD God, walking in the garden in the coole of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselues from the presence of the LORD God, amongst the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore, I beseech you,.... Though he might have used the power and authority of a father, yet he chose rather to entreat and beseech them; saying,

be ye followers of me; for who should children follow, but their parents? The Vulgate Latin, adds, "as I am of Christ"; so Chrysostom in his time read it; and Beza says he found it so written in one Greek exemplar; and so it is in one of Stephens's; it seems to have crept in from 1 Corinthians 11:1. However, though it might not be now expressed by the apostle, it is to be supposed; for he never desired any to follow him any more, or further than he followed Christ; particularly he was desirous that these his spiritual children would follow him, and abide by him in the doctrine of a crucified Christ, he had preached among them, and not the false apostles, who had represented his ministry as weak and foolish; and in his life and conversation, especially in his humble carriage and deportment among them, and in his tender love and affection for them; observing their growing pride, haughtiness, and vain opinion of themselves, and those unnatural divisions and animosities which were fomented among them; and also in bearing reproach and persecution cheerfully and patiently, for the Gospel of Christ; a detail of which he had given them in some preceding verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore - Since I am your spiritual father.

Be ye followers of me - Imitate me; copy my example; listen to my admonitions. Probably Paul had particularly in his eye their tendency to form parties; and here admonishes them that he had no disposition to form sects, and entreats them in this to imitate his example. A minister should always so live as that he can, without pride or ostentation, point to his own example; and entreat his people to imitate him. He should have such a confidence in his own integrity; he should lead such a blameless life; and “he should be assured that his people have so much evidence of his integrity,” that he can point them to his own example, and entreat them to live like himself. And to do this, he should live a life of piety, and should furnish such evidence of a pure conversation, that his people may have reason to regard him as a holy man.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 4:16. Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me. — It should rather be translated, Be ye imitators of me; μιμηται, from which we have our word mimic, which, though now used only in a bad or ludicrous sense, simply signifies an imitator of another person, whether in speech, manner, habit, or otherwise. As children should imitate their parents in preference to all others, he calls on them to imitate him, as he claims them for his children. He lived for God and eternity, seeking not his own glory, emolument, or ease: those sowers of sedition among them were actuated by different motives. Here then the apostle compares himself with them: follow and imitate me, as I follow and imitate Christ: do not imitate them who, from their worldly pursuits, show themselves to be actuated with a worldly spirit.