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1 Corinthians 4

1 Cor. 4:15 KJV (With Strong’s)

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15
For
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
though
ean (Greek #1437)
a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty
KJV usage: before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever). See 3361.
Pronounce: eh-an'
Origin: from 1487 and 302
ye have
echo (Greek #2192)
(used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
KJV usage: be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
Pronounce: ekh'-o
Origin: σχέω (skheh'-o)
ten thousand
murioi (Greek #3463)
ten thousand; by extension, innumerably many
KJV usage: ten thousand.
Pronounce: moo'-ree-oi
Origin: plural of an apparently primary word (properly, meaning very many)
instructors
paidagogos (Greek #3807)
a boy-leader, i.e. a servant whose office it was to take the children to school; (by implication, (figuratively) a tutor ("paedagogue"))
KJV usage: instructor, schoolmaster.
Pronounce: pahee-dag-o-gos'
Origin: from 3816 and a reduplicated form of 71
in
en (Greek #1722)
"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
KJV usage: about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
Pronounce: en
Origin: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537)
Christ
Christos (Greek #5547)
anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
KJV usage: Christ.
Pronounce: khris-tos'
Origin: from 5548
, yet
alla (Greek #235)
properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
KJV usage: and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.
Pronounce: al-lah'
Origin: neuter plural of 243
have ye not
ou (Greek #3756)
the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not
KJV usage: + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also 3364, 3372.
Pronounce: oo
Origin: οὐκ (ook), and (before an aspirate) οὐχ (ookh) a primary word
many
polus (Greek #4183)
(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely
KJV usage: abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly. Compare 4118, 4119.
Pronounce: pol-oos'
Origin: including the forms from the alternate πολλός
fathers
pater (Greek #3962)
a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote)
KJV usage: father, parent.
Pronounce: pat-ayr'
Origin: apparently a primary word
: for
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
in
en (Greek #1722)
"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
KJV usage: about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
Pronounce: en
Origin: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537)
Christ
Christos (Greek #5547)
anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
KJV usage: Christ.
Pronounce: khris-tos'
Origin: from 5548
Jesus
Iesous (Greek #2424)
Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
KJV usage: Jesus.
Pronounce: ee-ay-sooce'
Origin: of Hebrew origin (03091)
I
ego (Greek #1473)
a primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic)
KJV usage: I, me. For the other cases and the plural see 1691, 1698, 1700, 2248, 2249, 2254, 2257, etc.
Pronounce: eg-o'
have begotten
gennao (Greek #1080)
to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate
KJV usage: bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.
Pronounce: ghen-nah'-o
Origin: from a variation of 1085
you
humas (Greek #5209)
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
KJV usage: ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).
Pronounce: hoo-mas'
Origin: accusative case of 5210
through
dia (Greek #1223)
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
KJV usage: after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.
Pronounce: dee-ah'
Origin: a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act
the gospel
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
euaggelion (Greek #2098)
a good message, i.e. the gospel
KJV usage: gospel.
Pronounce: yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on
Origin: from the same as 2097
.

More on:

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Begotten,
Christ,
Fathers,
Ten,
The Gospel,
The Lord Jesus

Cross References

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ye have.
2 Tim. 4:3• 3For the time will be when they will not endure sound teaching; but according to their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers, having an itching ear; (2 Tim. 4:3)
for.
1 Cor. 3:6,10• 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
 10According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise architect I laid the foundation and another buildeth on [it]. But let each see how he buildeth on [it]. (1 Cor. 3:6,10)
;
1 Cor. 9:1‑2• 1Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? my work are not ye in [the] Lord?
 2If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship ye are in [the] Lord. (1 Cor. 9:1‑2)
;
Acts 18:4‑11• 4And he was discoursing in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuading Jews and Greeks.
 5And when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed with the word testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
 6But as they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook out his clothes, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own head; I [am] pure; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles,
 7and departing thence he went into a certain man's house by name Titus Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house adjoined to the synagogue.
 8And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.
 9And the Lord said by night through a vision to Paul, Fear not, but speak, and be not silent,
 10because I am with thee and no one shall set on thee to harm thee; because I have much people in this city.
 11And he settled down a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God. (Acts 18:4‑11)
;
Rom. 15:20• 20yet so making it a point of honour to preach, not where Christ was named, that I might not build upon another's foundation: (Rom. 15:20)
;
2 Cor. 3:1‑3• 1Begin we again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, recommendatory epistles unto you or from you?
 2Ye are our epistle inscribed in our hearts, known and read by all men,
 3being manifested that ye are Christ's epistle ministered by us, having been inscribed, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tables of stone, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart. (2 Cor. 3:1‑3)
;
Gal. 4:19• 19My children, with whom I again travail, until Christ shall have been formed in you, (Gal. 4:19)
;
Titus 1:4• 4to Titus, genuine child according to common faith: grace and peace from God [the] Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. (Titus 1:4)
;
Philem. 10‑12,19• 10I entreat thee for my child whom I begot in bonds, Onesimus,
 11the once unprofitable to thee but now profitable both to thee and to me;
 12whom I send back to thee, in person, that is my bowels;
 19I Paul write with mine own hand, I will repay; that I say not to thee that thou owest to me besides even thine own self. (Philem. 10‑12,19)
;
James 1:18• 18Having purposed he begot us by [the] word of truth, that we should be a certain firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)
;
1 Peter 1:23• 23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through God's living and abiding word. (1 Peter 1:23)

J. N. Darby Translation

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15
For if ye should have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus *I* have begotten you through the glad tidings.

W. Kelly Translation

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15
for if ye should have ten thousand child-guidesa in Christ, yet not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, I begot you.

WK Translation Notes

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a
It is well to observe that there is no depreciation of Christian teaching or teachers in comparison with gospel work, such as the common version naturally insinuates. It is an appeal to the love which ought to bind specially the converted souls to him who was the means of bringing them to God; and not in any way a formal comparison of the relative value of this gift with that. Hence there is the avoidance of the word "didaskalous," or teacher, and the use of the somewhat slighting term, "paidagōgous" (tutors), as applied to those at Corinth who had done too much to occupy and turn away the saints there. They sought to keep the brethren who listened to them in their leading-strings. They sought to direct the thoughts and ways of their admirers, as do guardians, or "paidagōgos", with the young entrusted to their charge.