1 Corinthians 4:9-13

⁹ For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

¹¹ To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

¹² And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

¹³ being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

displayed (v.9) — Greek word used of exhibiting captives and slaves in the arena

last (v.9) — In the arena, the captives and slaves doomed to die were exhibited last, as a finale to the day’s entertainment.

spectacle (v.9) = theater

In verse 10, Paul makes an ironic comparison between the apostle’s state and the way the Corinthians thought of themselves. The stress is on the pronouns.

wise (v.10) = prudent, possessing discernment

to the present hour (v.11) — this treatment was still going on. The thought is repeated at the end of verse 13.

homeless (v.11) = wander as a vagabond

labor (v.12) — not just working for a living, but hardship

entreat (v.13) — meet insult with a gentle request for fair treatment

filth (v.13) — used by the Greeks to refer to criminals and bums who were sacrificed to appease the gods

offscouring (v.13) = that which is wiped off