1 Corinthians 4:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →On the strength of his fatherly bond, Paul earnestly appeals to the Corinthians to imitate his example.
What Does 1 Corinthians 4:16 Mean?
Flowing from his claim to be their father in the faith, Paul makes a direct and earnest plea: imitate me. The word 'beseech' carries warm urging, not cold command.
This is not vanity, for elsewhere Paul makes clear he means 'follow me as I follow Christ.' A father shows his children the way by walking it himself, and Paul has just described his own life of labor, endurance, and returning blessing for cursing. He offers that pattern, the cruciform shape of discipleship, as something to be lived, not merely admired. Leaders who can point to their own walk and say 'follow' carry a weight that words alone never could.
1 Corinthians 4:16 in the Original Language
mimetes (μιμητής), 'followers' -- imitators, those who pattern their lives after another, the root of the English 'mimic.'
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 4:16
What does 1 Corinthians 4:16 mean?
On the strength of his fatherly bond, Paul earnestly appeals to the Corinthians to imitate his example.