1 Corinthians 16

Introduction

After fifteen chapters of intense theological argument -- addressing divisions, sexual immorality, lawsuits, marriage, idol food, worship practices, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection -- Paul closes his letter with a chapter devoted to practical matters. This shift from the sublime theology of chapter 15 (the resurrection of the dead) to the mundane logistics of money collection and travel plans is itself instructive: for Paul, the life of faith is not divided into "spiritual" and "practical" compartments. The same apostle who has just proclaimed that death is swallowed up in victory now turns without embarrassment to the question of how much money the Corinthians should set aside each Sunday. The grand theology of the letter is meant to be lived out in the concrete details of generosity, hospitality, and mutual care.

The chapter also provides a window into the relational network of the early church. Paul mentions Timothy, Apollos, Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus, Aquila, and Prisca -- a web of co-workers, delegates, and local leaders who carried letters, delivered funds, and held the scattered churches together. The chapter closes with a remarkable sequence: a solemn curse formula, an Aramaic prayer cry (Marana tha -- "Our Lord, come!"), a grace-wish, and a personal declaration of love. These final lines compress the full range of Christian existence -- judgment and hope, grace and affection -- into a few densely packed sentences, providing a fitting conclusion to Paul's longest and most wide-ranging letter.

The Collection for the Saints (vv. 1--4)

BSB

Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia: On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed. Then, on my arrival, I will send letters with those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem. And if it is advisable for me to go also, they can travel with me.

Translation

Now concerning the collection for the holy ones: just as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also should do. On the first day of each week, let each of you set something aside by himself, storing up whatever he may be prospered with, so that there will be no collections when I come. And when I arrive, whomever you approve I will send with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem. And if it is fitting for me to go as well, they will travel with me.

Notes

• λογείας (logeias, "collection") -- This word appears only here and in verse 2 in the entire New Testament. The noun logeia was used in the papyri for special collections, particularly religious levies and contributions gathered for temple purposes. Paul uses it for what he elsewhere calls the koinōnia ("fellowship/sharing," Rom 15:26) or diakonia ("service," 2 Cor 8:4) -- the relief fund he was organizing among his Gentile churches for the impoverished Jewish believers in Jerusalem. This collection was not merely charitable; it was a profound symbol of the unity between Gentile and Jewish Christians, a concrete demonstration that the one gospel creates one people.

• κατὰ μίαν σαββάτου (kata mian sabbatou, "on the first day of the week") -- Literally "on the first [day] of the Sabbath/week." The word sabbaton here means "week" (a common usage in both biblical and post-biblical Greek). This is one of the earliest references to Christians gathering on the first day of the week -- Sunday, the day of the Lord's resurrection (cf. Acts 20:7; Rev 1:10). Paul does not call it "the Lord's Day" here, but the instruction assumes a regular weekly gathering at which this setting-aside would occur.

• θησαυρίζων (thēsaurizōn, "storing up, treasuring") -- The verb thēsaurizō means "to store up, to accumulate as a treasure." It is the same word Jesus uses in Matthew 6:19-20 ("Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...but store up treasures in heaven"). The present participle suggests an ongoing, habitual action: each week they are to keep adding to the store. Paul's system is designed to prevent last-minute, pressured fundraising when he arrives -- he wants the giving to be deliberate, proportional, and prepared in advance.

• εὐοδῶται (euodōtai, "he may be prospered") -- This verb literally means "to have a good road" or "to be led along a good path," and by extension "to prosper, to succeed." The passive subjunctive (whatever one may be prospered with) implies that prosperity itself comes from God -- they are to give in proportion to what God has given them. Paul does not name a fixed amount or percentage; the giving is to be proportional to each person's means, echoing the principle articulated in 2 Corinthians 8:12: "according to what one has, not according to what one does not have."

• χάριν (charin, "grace, gracious gift") -- Paul calls the collection a charis -- "grace" or "gracious gift." This is the same word used for God's grace throughout Paul's letters. By calling the monetary gift a charis, Paul elevates it from mere charity to an act of grace -- a participation in the divine pattern of generous, undeserved giving. In 2 Corinthians 8:9 he makes the connection explicit: "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor."

• δοκιμάσητε (dokimasēte, "you approve, test") -- The verb dokimazō means "to test, examine, approve after testing." Paul leaves the selection of delegates entirely to the Corinthian congregation -- they are to vet and approve their own representatives. This is significant for Paul's ecclesiology: he does not unilaterally appoint the money-carriers but entrusts the community with the responsibility of choosing trustworthy people. The letters of commendation (di' epistolōn) would serve as credentials, ensuring accountability and transparency in the handling of funds.

Paul's Travel Plans (vv. 5--9)

BSB

After I go through Macedonia, however, I will come to you; for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now only in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.

Translation

I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia -- for I am passing through Macedonia -- and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now merely in passing; I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord allows. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Notes

• Μακεδονίαν διέρχομαι (Makedonian dierchomai, "I am passing through Macedonia") -- Paul's itinerary reveals that he is writing from Ephesus (v. 8) and plans to travel north through Macedonia (the Roman province covering northern Greece, including Philippi and Thessalonica) before coming south to Corinth in Achaia. The present tense dierchomai ("I am passing through") may be a futuristic present, expressing a settled plan. This itinerary apparently changed later, causing some Corinthians to accuse Paul of fickleness (2 Cor 1:15-17), a charge he vigorously defends against.

• παραχειμάσω (paracheimasō, "I will spend the winter") -- The verb paracheimazō means "to winter, to spend the winter season." Sea travel in the Mediterranean was effectively impossible from mid-November to early March due to storms. If Paul wintered in Corinth, he would be with them for several months -- a far more substantial visit than a brief stop. This suggests Paul envisions a major pastoral engagement with the Corinthian church, not a quick visit.

• προπέμψητε (propempsēte, "you may send me on my way") -- The verb propempō means more than simply "to say goodbye." In the early church it was a technical term for provisioning a traveler for the next leg of his journey -- providing food, money, travel companions, and other necessities (cf. Rom 15:24; Titus 3:13; 3 John 6). Paul expects the Corinthians to participate actively in his ongoing mission by equipping him for his next destination. The word appears again in verse 11 regarding Timothy.

• ἐὰν ὁ Κύριος ἐπιτρέψῃ (ean ho Kyrios epitrepsē, "if the Lord permits") -- Paul qualifies his travel plans with this conditional clause. The verb epitrepō means "to allow, to permit, to give leave." This is not empty piety but a genuine theological conviction: Paul's plans are always subject to the Lord's sovereign direction (cf. James 4:15, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that"). As events unfolded, Paul's plans did change significantly, suggesting that the Lord did not always "permit" what Paul initially intended.

• θύρα ... μεγάλη καὶ ἐνεργής (thyra ... megalē kai energēs, "a great and effective door") -- The metaphor of an "open door" for missionary opportunity is characteristic of Paul (2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3) and appears also in Revelation 3:8. The adjective ἐνεργής (energēs, "effective, productive, active") is striking -- the door is not merely open but is effective, meaning the opportunity is yielding real results. It is the root of the English word "energy." Paul stays in Ephesus not because it is comfortable but because the work is bearing fruit.

• ἀντικείμενοι πολλοί (antikeimenoi polloi, "many opponents") -- The participle antikeimenoi (from antikeimai, "to be set against, to oppose") describes those who are actively resisting Paul's work in Ephesus. The juxtaposition of a great open door and many opponents is deliberate and instructive: for Paul, opposition does not close the door -- it accompanies an open one. Fruitful ministry and fierce resistance go hand in hand. This may foreshadow the riot in Ephesus described in Acts 19:23-41.

Timothy and Apollos (vv. 10--12)

BSB

If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he can return to me, for I am expecting him along with the brothers.

Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

Translation

Now if Timothy comes, see to it that he is with you without fear, for he is carrying out the work of the Lord, just as I am. Therefore let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Now concerning Apollos our brother: I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come, however, when he has a suitable opportunity.

Notes

• ἀφόβως γένηται (aphobōs genētai, "he may be without fear") -- The adverb aphobōs means "fearlessly, without fear." The conditional ἐάν (ean, "if") suggests some uncertainty about whether Timothy will arrive before this letter does. Paul's concern that Timothy might face intimidation or hostility in Corinth reveals something about the Corinthian church's character -- they could be aggressive toward leaders who did not meet their expectations of rhetorical polish and authoritative presence. Timothy was apparently young (1 Tim 4:12) and perhaps temperamentally reserved, making him vulnerable to the strong personalities in Corinth.

• ἐξουθενήσῃ (exouthenēsē, "treat with contempt, despise") -- The verb exoutheneō means "to treat as nothing, to despise utterly, to regard as worthless." It is a strong word -- stronger than mere disrespect. The same verb is used in Romans 14:3 for despising a fellow believer over food laws and in Luke 23:11 for Herod's contemptuous treatment of Jesus. Paul's warning implies a real danger that the Corinthians, with their love of impressive speech and their factionalism, might dismiss Timothy as an inadequate substitute for Paul.

• τὸ ἔργον Κυρίου ἐργάζεται (to ergon Kyriou ergazetai, "he is carrying out the work of the Lord") -- The cognate construction ergon ergazetai ("he works the work") emphasizes that Timothy's ministry is the Lord's own work, not a lesser assignment. The phrase ὡς κἀγώ (hōs kagō, "just as I also") places Timothy's work on the same footing as Paul's apostolic labor. This is a powerful commendation: whatever the Corinthians think of Timothy's personal qualities, his work has the same source and the same authority as Paul's.

• παρεκάλεσα (parekalesa, "I urged, exhorted") -- The aorist of parakaleō ("to urge, comfort, exhort") describes Paul's appeal to Apollos. The adverb πολλά (polla, "much, earnestly") intensifies it -- Paul urged him strongly. Yet Apollos declined. The phrase πάντως οὐκ ἦν θέλημα (pantōs ouk ēn thelēma, "it was not at all [his] will") is ambiguous: whose will? Most translations take it as Apollos's own will, but some interpreters read it as God's will. The absence of a possessive pronoun leaves the ambiguity intact. Either way, Paul respects Apollos's decision -- there is no hint of friction or resentment.

• εὐκαιρήσῃ (eukairēsē, "he has a suitable opportunity") -- The verb eukaireō means "to have a good time/opportunity, to find a convenient season." It appears in Mark 6:31 and Acts 17:21. Paul assures the Corinthians that Apollos is not permanently refusing -- he will come when the time is right. This brief exchange powerfully undermines the factionalism of chapters 1-4: Paul wants Apollos to visit Corinth, Apollos is not opposed in principle, and the decision is made collegially, not competitively. The "Paul party" and the "Apollos party" would have found no support from either Paul or Apollos themselves.

Final Exhortations and the Household of Stephanas (vv. 13--18)

BSB

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong. Do everything in love.

You know that Stephanas and his household were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours as well. Show your appreciation, therefore, to such men.

Translation

Stay alert. Stand firm in the faith. Act with courage. Be strong. Let everything you do be done in love.

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters -- you know the household of Stephanas, that they are the firstfruits of Achaia and have devoted themselves to serving the holy ones -- that you submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors. I rejoice at the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore give recognition to such people.

Notes

• Γρηγορεῖτε, στήκετε, ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε (grēgoreite, stēkete, andrizesthe, krataiousthe, "be alert, stand firm, act courageously, be strong") -- These four imperatives arrive in rapid-fire succession, like a military commander's orders. Γρηγορέω (grēgoreō, "to stay awake, be vigilant") is frequently used for eschatological watchfulness (Matt 24:42; 1 Thess 5:6). Στήκω (stēkō, "to stand firm") is a late Greek form derived from the perfect of histēmi; Paul uses it for standing firm in the faith (Phil 1:27; 4:1). Ἀνδρίζομαι (andrizomai, "to act like a man, show courage") appears only here in the New Testament but is common in the Septuagint (Josh 1:6, 9; Ps 27:14), where it translates the Hebrew hazaq -- "be strong, take courage." Κραταιόω (krataioō, "to strengthen, become strong") is used in Luke 1:80 and 2:40 for the child Jesus growing strong. The sequence echoes the language of holy war and covenant faithfulness from the Old Testament.

• πάντα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω (panta hymōn en agapē ginesthō, "let all your things be done in love") -- This fifth imperative stands apart from the four preceding commands, separated as its own sentence. After the martial language of verse 13, verse 14 provides the essential qualifier: all of this vigilance, firmness, courage, and strength must be exercised in love (en agapē). Coming immediately after the great love chapter (ch. 13) and the discussion of spiritual gifts (chs. 12-14), this command serves as a summary imperative for the entire letter. Without love, even the most resolute stand becomes mere obstinacy.

• ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀχαΐας (aparchē tēs Achaias, "firstfruits of Achaia") -- The word ἀπαρχή (aparchē, "firstfruits") comes from the Old Testament practice of offering the first portion of the harvest to God (Lev 23:10; Deut 26:1-11). The firstfruits consecrated the whole harvest. Stephanas and his household were the first converts in the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece, including Corinth), and Paul mentions baptizing this household in 1:16. Their priority in conversion gives them a special status and responsibility. The metaphor implies that their conversion was a pledge of the larger harvest to come.

• ἔταξαν ἑαυτούς (etaxan heautous, "they devoted/appointed themselves") -- The verb tassō means "to arrange, assign, appoint, place in order." The reflexive heautous ("themselves") is significant: Stephanas's household was not appointed to service by any external authority -- they voluntarily placed themselves at the disposal of the church. This is organic, self-initiating leadership that arises from character and commitment rather than from formal appointment. Paul holds them up as a model precisely because their authority grows from their service, not the reverse.

• ὑστέρημα (hysterēma, "deficiency, lack, absence") -- The noun hysterēma means "that which is lacking, a deficit." Paul says Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have ἀνεπλήρωσαν (aneplērōsan, "filled up, supplied") the Corinthians' hysterēma. This likely means they have compensated for the Corinthians' physical absence by serving as their representatives -- they have stood in for the whole church. The verb anaplēroō ("to fill up completely") is the same Paul uses in 14:16 for the person who "fills the role" of an outsider. These three men are the living link between the Corinthian congregation and their apostle.

• ἀνέπαυσαν γὰρ τὸ ἐμὸν πνεῦμα καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν (anepausan gar to emon pneuma kai to hymōn, "they refreshed my spirit and yours") -- The verb ἀναπαύω (anapauō, "to give rest, refresh") is used by Jesus in Matthew 11:28 ("I will give you rest"). Paul says these men refreshed both his spirit and the Corinthians' spirit. How did they refresh the Corinthians' spirit? Probably by faithfully representing the church to Paul, ensuring that the relationship between apostle and congregation remained alive and healthy. The command to ἐπιγινώσκετε (epiginōskete, "recognize, acknowledge") such people uses a verb that means more than casual awareness -- it means to give full, deliberate recognition to their worth and service.

Greetings, Maranatha, and Benediction (vv. 19--24)

BSB

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

This greeting is in my own hand -- Paul.

If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Translation

The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the church that meets in their house. All the brothers and sisters greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

This greeting is in my own hand -- Paul.

If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed. Marana tha! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love is with all of you in Christ Jesus.

Notes

• Ἀκύλας καὶ Πρίσκα (Akylas kai Priska, "Aquila and Prisca") -- This married couple appears in six New Testament passages (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19). They were Jewish tentmakers who had been expelled from Rome under Claudius's edict (Acts 18:2, ca. AD 49) and settled in Corinth, where they first met Paul and worked alongside him. By the time of this letter they are in Ephesus with Paul. The κατ᾽ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν (kat' oikon autōn ekklēsian, "the church at their house") reveals the standard setting for early Christian worship: believers met in private homes, not in dedicated church buildings. Prisca (the formal name; "Priscilla" in Acts is the diminutive) is listed first in four of the six references, suggesting she played a prominent role.

• φιλήματι ἁγίῳ (philēmati hagiō, "with a holy kiss") -- The φίλημα (philēma, "kiss") was a standard greeting in the ancient Mediterranean world, but Paul qualifies it as holy (hagion). The same instruction appears in Romans 16:16, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Thessalonians 5:26. In early Christian worship this became a liturgical act -- Justin Martyr (mid-second century) describes the kiss of peace as part of the Eucharistic liturgy. By calling it "holy," Paul transforms a social convention into a sacramental act of mutual recognition: these people who have been quarreling, dividing into factions, and taking each other to court are commanded to greet each other with the physical gesture of familial affection and peace.

• τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου (tē emē cheiri Paulou, "in my own hand -- Paul") -- Paul typically dictated his letters to a secretary (cf. Rom 16:22, where Tertius identifies himself as the scribe). At this point Paul takes the pen himself and writes the closing in his own handwriting. This served as authentication -- like a personal signature -- confirming that the letter was genuinely from Paul (cf. Gal 6:11; Col 4:18; 2 Thess 3:17). The switch to Paul's own hand also signals that what follows carries special weight and personal authority.

• φιλεῖ (philei, "loves") -- Remarkably, Paul uses φιλέω (phileō) rather than ἀγαπάω (agapaō) for love of the Lord. This is the only place in Paul's letters where phileō describes the believer's relationship to Christ. While the distinction between phileō and agapaō should not be pressed too rigidly (they overlap significantly), phileō often carries a connotation of personal affection, warm attachment, and friendship. The choice may be deliberate: the issue is not mere theological assent but heartfelt, personal devotion to the Lord. To lack this affection is to be ἀνάθεμα (anathema) -- accursed, devoted to destruction.

• ἀνάθεμα (anathema, "accursed, devoted to destruction") -- In the Septuagint, anathema translates the Hebrew herem -- something irrevocably devoted to God, usually for destruction (cf. Deut 7:26; Josh 6:17-18). Paul uses the word in Romans 9:3 ("I could wish that I myself were accursed") and Galatians 1:8-9 ("let him be accursed"). This is not a casual insult but a solemn pronouncement of divine judgment: the person who does not love the Lord stands under God's curse, excluded from the covenant community. The severity of the formula, placed at the letter's close, serves as a final warning to any in Corinth whose allegiance to Christ is merely nominal.

• Μαράνα θά (Marana tha, "Our Lord, come!") -- This is the most significant phrase in the chapter's closing. It is an Aramaic expression preserved untranslated in a Greek letter to a Greek-speaking church, which testifies to its antiquity and its roots in the earliest, Aramaic-speaking Palestinian church. The phrase can be divided two ways: Marana tha ("Our Lord, come!" -- an imperative prayer) or Maran atha ("Our Lord has come" -- a declaration). The imperative reading is more widely accepted and fits the eschatological context. That Paul could use an Aramaic phrase without explanation suggests it was already a well-known liturgical formula across the churches, even among Gentile congregations. It appears in the Didache (10:6, early second century) as part of the Eucharistic liturgy. The cry expresses the church's longing for Christ's return -- the same hope Paul has just proclaimed in chapter 15. Its placement immediately after the anathema formula creates a striking juxtaposition: judgment on those who do not love the Lord, and a prayer for the Lord's coming that will bring both vindication and consummation.