1 Corinthians 1:3
What does 1 Corinthians 1:3 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 1:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Corinthians 1:3 means
“Grace” and “peace” are more than polite wishes; they summarize the gospel’s blessings. Grace speaks of God’s unearned favor in Christ; peace describes the reconciliation and wholeness that flow from it. By naming God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ together, Paul places the source of these blessings in the triune work of God, grounding Christian well-being in divine initiative. The greeting is pastoral and doctrinal: what the Corinthians most need—amid turmoil and pride—is God’s gracious help and the peace that comes from living under Jesus’ lordship. This sets the tone for a letter that both corrects and comforts, always driven by the grace that creates true unity.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Grace to you and peace fromGod our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.
Context
Following identity language in verse 2, Paul formally blesses the church with grace and peace. This benediction prepares the way for thanksgiving (verses 4–9), where Paul will recount evidences of grace in Corinth. The flow matters: before rebuking divisions (verses 10–13), Paul reminds them that all they have comes from God’s kindness in Christ. The source of unity and strength is not human wisdom or party loyalty but the shared reception of grace and peace from the same Lord.
v.2unto the church of God which is at Corinth, eventhem that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, calledto besaints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, theirLordand ours:
v.3This passage
v.4I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 1:7
to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:2
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
- Ephesians 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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