1 Corinthians 16

Paul closes his letter with practical matters: a collection for the poor believers in Jerusalem, his travel plans, and the coworkers he is sending or commending. He ends with a brief call to stand firm and to do everything in love, followed by greetings and a solemn farewell.

1 Corinthians 16:1

Paul turns to money gathered for needy believers in Jerusalem. He had already given the churches of Galatia the same instruction, so Corinth is joining a wider effort among the Gentile churches. This was help for fellow Christians, not a fee for any institution.

BSA: saints (“holy ones, set apart”): The poor in Jerusalem are called God’s own people, set apart for him, which makes giving to them a family duty.

See also: Romans 15:25-27; 2 Corinthians 9:1-2.

1 Corinthians 16:2

Giving is to be regular, personal and planned. Each person sets something aside weekly, in proportion to what he has earned, so nothing is rushed when Paul arrives. Meeting on the first day of the week fits the early Christian habit of gathering on the Lord’s resurrection day.

BSA: set aside (“lay by, put apart”): Each believer quietly puts money apart at home, so giving comes from steady habit rather than pressure. portion (“as God hath prospered him”): The amount is measured by how God has blessed each person, so no one is asked for more than he has.

See also: 2 Corinthians 8:12.

1 Corinthians 16:3-4

Paul handles the money with care. The Corinthians themselves choose trusted men, and Paul supplies letters of introduction. He may go along if the gift is large enough to warrant it. Honest, open handling of funds protects both the givers and the gospel.

BSA: gift (“liberality, gracious offering”): The Greek word is related to grace, so Paul sees the collection as a gracious act, not a tax.

See also: 2 Corinthians 8:18-21.

1 Corinthians 16:5-7

Paul plans to travel through Macedonia and then settle in for a longer stay at Corinth, perhaps through the winter, when travel by sea was difficult. He wants real time with them, not a quick visit. He holds his plans loosely, saying ‘if the Lord permits.’.

BSA: permits (“allows, gives permission”): Paul’s plans are held under the Lord’s hand; the Lord has the final say.

See also: James 4:15.

1 Corinthians 16:8-9

Paul will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, the Jewish festival fifty days after Passover. He explains why: a wide door for ministry has opened. Opposition did not make him leave; it was a sign that real work was being done there.

BSA: door (“an opportunity”): God has opened a chance for the gospel to go forward, and Paul stays to walk through it. effective (“active, powerful”): The opportunity is one for fruitful, energetic work, not for mere presence.

Greek: ἐνεργής (energēs, G1756) — “at work, effective, productive.” This is the root of our word ’energy.’ Paul sees the open door as a place where God’s power can really be at work.

See also: Acts 19:8-10; Colossians 4:3.

1 Corinthians 16:10-11

Timothy is young and may be timid. Paul asks the Corinthians to put him at ease, not look down on him, and to send him back with help for the journey. He is serving the same Lord Paul serves, so receiving him honors Christ.

BSA: contempt (“reject or despise him”): Paul warns against looking down on Timothy because of his youth or manner. peace (“harmony, prosperity, freedom from war”): Send him off in wholeness and goodwill, with nothing left unresolved between you.

See also: 1 Timothy 4:12.

1 Corinthians 16:12

Some in Corinth had favored Apollos, so they may have wished he would come. Paul had urged him to visit, but Apollos chose not to go yet. Paul reports this without any rivalry, showing real trust between two leaders who had no quarrel.

See also: 1 Corinthians 3:4-6.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Four short commands sound like a soldier’s call: watch, stand, be brave, be strong. Corinth had many troubles, and Paul wants them steady in the gospel. Then he adds the rule that governs all of it: whatever you do, let love be the way you do it.

BSA: alert (“watchful, vigilant”): Believers are to stay awake to dangers, like a guard on duty. love (“unconditional, divine affection, charity”): The word is agapē, the self-giving love Paul described in chapter 13, now set over all of life.

Greek: ἀνδρίζεσθε (andrizesthe, G407) — “act like men, be courageous.” The word means to show mature, brave conduct. Paul asks for courage, but he follows at once with love, so strength is never an excuse for harshness.

See also: Ephesians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

1 Corinthians 16:15-16

Stephanas and his household were Paul’s first converts in Achaia, and they gave themselves to serving other believers. Paul asks the church to follow the lead of people like this, and of all who labor with them. Real authority in the church grows out of humble service.

BSA: first converts (“firstfruits, initial harvest”): They were the first part of the harvest in Achaia, a pledge of more to come. devoted (“dedicated, set themselves”): Their service was a deliberate choice, not an assignment given to them.

Greek: ἔταξαν ἑαυτούς (etaxan heautous, G5021) — “they appointed themselves, set themselves in place.” The household took up service by their own decision, with no one assigning them. Their authority came from willing work.

See also: Romans 16:5; Hebrews 13:17.

1 Corinthians 16:17-18

Three men from Corinth had come to Paul and made up for the absence of the whole church. Their visit lifted his spirit, and through their report it also lifted the Corinthians’. Paul asks the church to recognize and honor such quiet servants.

BSA: refreshed (“gave comfort to, rejuvenated”): Their company gave Paul new strength, as rest does for a tired traveler. appreciation (“gratitude, recognition”): Paul asks the church to acknowledge such people openly rather than take them for granted.

See also: Philippians 2:29-30.

1 Corinthians 16:19-20

Greetings show the Christian family reaching across cities. Aquila and Prisca, old friends of Corinth, host a church in their home, because early believers had no church buildings. The holy kiss was an ordinary greeting between family, made sacred among God’s people.

BSA: holy (“set apart”): The kiss is a sign of family affection set apart for fellowship in Christ.

See also: Acts 18:1-3; Romans 16:3-5.

1 Corinthians 16:21

Paul probably dictated most of the letter to a secretary. Here he takes the pen and signs in his own hand. It is a personal touch, and it marks the letter as truly his.

See also: Colossians 4:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:17.

1 Corinthians 16:22

A stern warning comes first: anyone who does not love the Lord stands under a curse. Love for Christ is the heart of the faith, so to be without it is a grave matter. The prayer ‘Come, O Lord!’ follows, which is the Aramaic cry ‘Maranatha.’ It expresses hope for his return.

BSA: curse (“anathema, devoted to destruction”): The word means set apart for God’s judgment, a solemn warning, not a casual insult.

Greek: ἀνάθεμα (anathema, G331) — “accursed, given over to judgment.” It was once the word for something offered to a god. Here it means a person handed over to God’s judgment because he has turned from Christ.

See also: Revelation 22:20.

1 Corinthians 16:23-24

Paul ends with grace and love. After correcting the Corinthians sharply through the whole letter, he assures them of his love for every one of them. The last word is that they are in Christ Jesus, and that grace goes with them.

BSA: grace (“unmerited favor, loving-kindness”): The Corinthians stand by undeserved favor from the Lord, not by their own record. love (“agape, affection”): Paul’s love is the committed, self-giving kind, and it reaches all of them, even those he has corrected.

See also: 2 Corinthians 13:14.