But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
Parallel translations
- KJV But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
- BSB If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.
- NKJV But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
- NASB But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor have the churches of God.
- NLT But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul ends the discussion by appealing to the common practice of the churches and refusing contentiousness. Unity of practice and a peaceable spirit matter.
Overview
Paul closes the topic by noting that neither he nor the other churches recognize a contentious custom that would overturn his teaching. He values both orderly uniformity among the churches and a non-quarrelsome spirit. The verse discourages divisive insistence on one's own way and commends humble conformity to the shared practice of God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Cor 7:17Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.
- 1 Tim 6:3–4If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesn’t consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,
- 1 Th 2:14For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;
- Acts 21:24Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law.
- 1 Cor 14:33–34for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
- Acts 21:21They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.
- 1 Cor 16:1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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