1 Corinthians 4:19

God's will and calling God's power and sovereignty

¹⁷ That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

²¹ Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
KJV: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
WEB: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
ASV: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
DARBY: but I will come quickly to you, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of those that are puffed up, but the power.
BLB: But I will come to you⁺ shortly, if the Lord might will, and I will know not only the talk of those being puffed up, but the power.

ÅB: men jeg kommer snart til dere, om Herren vil, og får da lære å kjenne ikke ordene, men kraften hos dem som er oppblåst;
OTB: Men jeg vil komme til dere snart, hvis Herren tillater, og jeg skal finne ut, ikke ordene til de som er innbilske, men deres kraft.
B1930: men jeg kommer snart til eder, om Herren vil, og får da lære å kjenne ikke ordene, men kraften hos dem som er opblåst;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Corinthians 13:1–4
This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Read in context
Acts 18:21
But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
Read in context
Acts 19:21
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
Read in context
1 Corinthians 11:34
If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 2:6
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 4:18
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 1:23
I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 14:5
I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
Read in context