I Corinthians 4:18 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 4:18 Commentary: Puffed Up in Paul's Absence
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why were some Corinthians arrogant, assuming Paul would not return? This study explores the pride and rebellion behind their assumption.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Some in Corinth grew arrogant because they assumed Paul would never return to confront them.
- Key words: ἐφυσιώθησαν (aorist passive, 'were puffed up'), ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου (present participle, 'as though not coming').
- Main debate: The identity of the 'some', faction leaders, the incestuous man's supporters, or a general group of opponents.
- Theological theme: Apostolic authority and the danger of presuming on God's timing and absence.
- Best use: A warning against pride that flourishes when accountability seems distant, and a call to live under Christ's authority always.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And as if I were not coming unto you certain were puffed up;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But some have been puffed up, as if I were not coming to you;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
As if I would not come to you, so some are puffed up.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas algunos están envanecidos, como si nunca hubiese yo de ir á vosotros.
Mas alguns andam arrogantes, como se eu não fosse até vós.
Quelques-uns se sont enflés d’ orgueil, comme si je ne devais pas aller chez vous.
Es blähen sich etliche auf, als würde ich nicht zu euch kommen.
Doch sommigen zijn opgeblazen, alsof ik tot ulieden niet komen zou.
Or alcuni si son gonfiati come se io non dovessi recarmi da voi;
Ale tak się niektórzy nadęli, jakobym nie miał przyjść do was.
Как я не иду к вам, то некоторые у вас возгордились;
有些 人自高自大，以為 我 不 到 你們 那裡去；
Now some are full of pride, as if I was not coming to you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 4:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Corinthians' arrogance directly stemmed from their belief that Paul would not visit them again. Adam Clarke notes they 'imagined themselves to be safe, because they suppose that I shall not revisit Corinth.' Barnes adds they were 'puffed up with a vain confidence,' claiming Paul would not dare to come. Calvin sees this as typical of false apostles, taking advantage of a good person's absence to vaunt without hindrance. Gill lists multiple groups: those puffed up with gifts, the incestuous person's supporters, and those who thought Paul would never return. The Cambridge Bible suggests opponents had so undermined Paul's reputation that they persuaded themselves he would not come. All agree that the verb ἐφυσιώθησαν describes an arrogant confidence that Paul's authority would never confront them.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Faction leaders: Those aligned with Apollos or Cephas who opposed Paul's authority and thought his absence would allow them to dominate (1 Cor 1:12, 3:4).
- Supporters of the incestuous man: Gill suggests they took encouragement from Paul's absence to remain hardened and unrepentant (1 Cor 5:2).
- General arrogant members: A broader group puffed up with gifts, learning, or party spirit, hoping Paul would never disturb them (Barnes, Clarke).
What is clear: They were arrogant because they assumed Paul would not come to hold them accountable.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the puffed-up ones | They were a group in the Corinthian church who opposed or depreciated Paul's authority. | Some see them as faction leaders (those for Apollos or Cephas), others as supporters of the incestuous man (see Gill), and others as a more general group of arrogant members. |
| Reason for Paul's delayed visit | Paul was providentially hindered and sent Timothy in his stead. | Opponents claimed Paul stayed away from fear; Paul insists it was the Lord's will (v.19, 1 Cor 16:7). |
| Nature of the 'power' test in v.19-20 | Paul will test not their rhetoric but the reality of their faith and conduct. | Some see 'power' as miraculous signs of apostleship, others as moral authority or the power of church discipline. |
| Significance of sending Timothy | Timothy was sent to remind them of Paul's ways (v.17). | Some infer Paul sent Timothy to avoid coming himself; others see it as pastoral care to prepare them for his visit. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Corinth was a city proud of its rhetoric and philosophy. The church there had divided into factions around different leaders (1 Cor 1:12), and Paul's apostolic authority was under constant challenge. In this letter, he has been defending his ministry against those who valued eloquence and worldly wisdom above the simple power of the gospel.
Paul had delayed his promised visit. He explains later in the letter that he planned to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost (1 Cor 16:5-9), and he sent Timothy ahead to remind them of his ways (v.17). Some opponents twisted this delay into evidence of fear. As Barnes suggests, they said Paul was afraid to appear and face their criticism. The Cambridge Bible points out that Paley noticed an 'undesigned coincidence' between this verse and 2 Corinthians 1:15-17, where Paul defends his plans against accusations of vacillation.
The Greek phrase ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου δέ μου ('as though I were not coming') captures the assumption in their minds. The present participle ἐρχομένου suggests they thought: 'He is not coming.' The verb ἐφυσιώθησαν (aorist passive of φυσιόω, 'to puff up') appears repeatedly in this letter (1 Cor 4:6, 4:19, 5:2, 8:1, 13:4), always describing a pride that inflates beyond reality. This arrogance reflected not just personal vanity but rebellion against the apostolic authority Christ had given Paul.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Corinthians 4:18. The reading is stable across the major manuscript traditions.
Reception History
This verse has been consistently read as a warning against presumption and pride when authority is absent. Calvin used it to expose the confidence of false apostles, who 'triumph and vaunt without any hindrance' when the true minister is away. Wesley noted that Paul saw by divine light the thoughts that would arise in their hearts upon reading his letter. In later commentary traditions, the emphasis fell on the connection between the Corinthians' arrogance and their refusal to face discipline. The verse has also been linked to the broader theme of church order and the proper respect for apostolic oversight, appearing in discussions of pastoral authority and congregational accountability.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The false assumption: Some believed Paul would never return (v.18a). Their confidence rested on a miscalculation about God's servant.
- The arrogant posture: They were puffed up, inflated with self-importance and contempt for Paul's authority (v.18b). This pride exposed their real spiritual condition.
- The coming correction: Paul announces he will come and test not their words but their power (v.19-20). Their assumption will be shattered by his presence.
Five-point outline
- Context: Paul sends Timothy to remind them of his ways (v.17).
- Misreading the delay: Some saw Timothy's arrival as a sign Paul would not come (v.18a).
- The arrogance that follows: Being puffed up, a self-secure pride that resists accountability (v.18b).
- Paul's decisive reply: He will come shortly, Lord willing, and expose empty words (v.19).
- The real test: God's kingdom is about power, not talk. The rod or gentleness, their choice (v.20-21).
Illustration hooks
- A student who neglects homework when the teacher is absent for a week, only to panic when the teacher returns unexpectedly.
- A driver who speeds through an empty stretch of road known for speed traps, assuming the police are not watching.
- A child left with a babysitter who misbehaves because their parents are away, then straightens up when they hear the car pull into the driveway.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to feel relieved when a leader is gone, or is that natural?
- How do I know if I am arrogantly presuming on God's patience with my sin?
- What does it mean to test 'power' not 'words' in our own lives?
Leading a Discussion
This verse exposes a dangerous tendency in human hearts: to become arrogant when we think authority will not hold us accountable. The Corinthians presumed on Paul's absence, but the apostle confronts their rebellion head-on. As you discuss, consider where similar patterns appear in your own life and community.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase 'puffed up' suggest about the Corinthians' inner attitude? Why would Paul use such vivid imagery?
- What specific assumption were they making about Paul's visit? How did that assumption feed their pride?
- Read 1 Corinthians 4:6, 4:19, 5:2, 8:1, 13:4. What pattern do you notice in how Paul uses 'puffed up' throughout this letter?
- In what ways do Christians today assume that consequences for sin will not come? Where does that confidence come from?
- Why does Paul connect his coming with testing 'power' rather than 'word' (v.19)? What does that say about authentic Christian leadership?
- The choice in v.21, 'rod' or 'love and a spirit of gentleness', is put to the congregation. How does this invitation shape the way you read the whole passage?
- Share a time when you assumed a hard conversation or accountability would never come. How did God gently correct that assumption?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Corinthians 4:6 | Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another. |
| I Corinthians 4:8 | You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you! |
| I Corinthians 4:21 | What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? |
| I Corinthians 5:2 | You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the teachers' arrogance comes from a false sense of safety. They act haughty because they assume Paul will not return to Corinth, so they expect no accountability for their conduct.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues these believers were arrogant because they misread Paul's absence as cowardice. His delay due to other commitments made them think he would not dare confront them. Their arrogance grew precisely because they believed they were beyond reproach.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that false apostles thrive when honest leaders are absent, using the opportunity to boast without challenge. They avoid fair confrontation and instead resort to underhanded tactics, revealing their own lack of confidence by refusing to meet face to face.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that Paul accepted contempt from outsiders but insisted on respect from those within the church. The Corinthians who were puffed up thought they had so discredited him that he would never return, but Paul asserts his apostolic authority over his own people.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note points out that some Corinthians were swollen with pride because they assumed Paul would not come back to them. Their arrogance rested on the false belief that his absence gave them free rein to act as they pleased without accountability.The Geneva note highlights that some Corinthians were arrogant because they assumed Paul would not return to them. Their pride depended on the false belief that his absence gave them freedom to do as they pleased without accountability.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies three groups puffed up because they assume Paul will never return to Corinth. Some are proud of their gifts and status, feeling secure in their church positions. Others support Apollos or Cephas against Paul, hoping his absence lets their factions continue. The incestuous man and those emboldened by his example remain hardened, unrepentant, and falsely secure.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that Paul anticipates a specific misunderstanding: the Corinthians might take his sending of Timothy to mean he himself is avoiding a visit. Paul guards against this suspicion, knowing their pride makes them prone to such misreading.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the kingdom of God advances through spiritual power, not eloquent words. He sees Paul's intended visit as a test to distinguish those who merely talk from those who truly possess the Holy Spirit's energy for effective ministry. True apostolic authority is demonstrated in power that transforms lives, not in impressive speeches.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that Paul sent Timothy not to teach anything new, but to refresh their memory of truths already given. Paul's teaching was the same everywhere; he did not adapt his message to different audiences, because Christian truth is one and unchanging across all times and places.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that Paul knew by divine revelation that some Corinthians would become arrogant, thinking his sending of Timothy meant he would not come personally. Paul saw directly the pride and misunderstanding rising in their hearts.