1 Corinthians 1:4

Contextual Overview

¹ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ Paul called to be an Apostle of Iesus Christ, through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Sosthenes our brother: ¹ Sha'ul, called to be an apostle of Yeshua the Messiah through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ Paul, [a] called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God's will, and Sosthenes the brother, ¹ Greetings from Paul. I was chosen to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. God chose me because that is what he wanted. Greetings also from Sosthenes, our brother in Christ. ¹Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ¹Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Sosthenes, who is also a follower.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thank: Romans 1:8, Romans 6:17, Acts 11:23, Acts 21:20

the grace: 1 Corinthians 1:3, John 10:30, John 14:14, John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26, 1 Timothy 1:14

Reciprocal: John 1:16 - of his 1 Corinthians 1:14 - thank 1 Corinthians 14:16 - at 1 Corinthians 14:18 - General 1 Corinthians 15:1 - which also 2 Corinthians 7:4 - great 2 Corinthians 8:9 - the grace 2 Corinthians 9:14 - the exceeding Galatians 3:5 - worketh Ephesians 5:20 - thanks Philippians 1:3 - I thank Colossians 1:3 - give 1 Thessalonians 1:2 - General 2 Thessalonians 1:3 - are 2 Thessalonians 1:12 - the grace

Cross-References

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land, Earth, and he called the gathering together of the waters, Seas: and God sawe that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas; and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Eretz, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God named the dry land "earth," and he named the water that was gathered together "seas." And God saw that this was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God gave the dry land the name of Earth; and the waters together in their place were named Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God named the dry ground "Land," and he named the water "Ocean." God looked at what he had done and saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, the gathering together of the water he called Seas, and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry [land] Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I thank my God always on your behalf,.... Now follows a thanksgiving for various blessings bestowed upon this church, which is a proof of the apostle's great affection for it, and how much its welfare lay at his heart. The object of thanksgiving is God, for as he is the author of all mercies, the glory and praise of them ought to be given to him. The apostle styles him "my God", to distinguish him from others; and to express his faith of interest in him; and to observe to this church, that all the good things they enjoyed came from him, who was his God and their God, his Father and their Father; and for which reason he returned thanks to him for them, and by so doing set them an example: the persons on whose behalf he gave thanks were not at this time himself and Sosthenes, but the members of the church at Corinth; and the continuance of his thankfulness for them, is "always", as often as he went to the throne of grace, or at any other time thought of them: what he particularly gives thanks to God for in this verse is,

for the grace which is given you by Jesus Christ: and includes all sorts of grace, adopting, justifying, pardoning, regenerating, and sanctifying grace; every particular grace of the Spirit, as faith, repentance, hope, love, fear, humility, self-denial, c. all are gifts of God, and entirely owing to his free grace, and not to man's free will and power, or to any merits of his and all come through the hands of Christ, and are given forth by him, as the Mediator of the covenant, and in consequence of his blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and merit.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I thank my God ... - No small part of this Epistle is occupied with reproofs for the disorders which had arisen in the church at Corinth. Before proceeding, however, to the specific statement of those disorders (1 Corinthians 1:10 ff), the apostle commends them for the attainments which they had really made in divine knowledge, and thus shows that he was disposed to concede to them all that he could. It was no part of the disposition of Paul to withhold commendation where it was due. On the contrary, as he was disposed to be faithful in reproving the errors of Christians, he was no less disposed to commend them when it could be done; compare the note at Romans 1:8. A willingness to commend those who do well is as much in accordance with the gospel, as a disposition to reprove where it is deserved; and a minister, or a parent, may frequently do as decided good by judicious commendation as by reproof, and much more than by fault-finding and harsh crimination.

On your behalf - In respect to you; that God has conferred these favors on you.

For the grace of God - On account of the favors which God has bestowed on you through the Lord Jesus. Those favors are specified in the following verses. For the meaning of the word “grace,” see the note at Romans 1:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 1:4. For the grace - which is given you — Not only their calling to be saints, and to be sanctified in Christ Jesus; but for the various spiritual gifts which they had received, as specified in the succeeding verses.