But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.
- BSB A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.
- NKJV But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
- NASB Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor.
- NLT In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.
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
In a great house there are vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable and some for dishonorable use. The visible church contains both noble and ignoble members.
Overview
Paul uses a household analogy to explain the mixed condition of the visible church, where faithful and false coexist. The differing vessels picture differing uses and worth before God. The image sets up the call in the next verse to be a vessel fit for honorable purposes.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rom 9:21–23Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
- 1 Tim 3:15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
- 1 Pet 2:5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
- 1 Cor 3:9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
- Eph 2:22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
- Ezra 1:6And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
- Ezra 6:5And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
- 2 Cor 4:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
- 1 Cor 3:16–17Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
- Lam 4:2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
- Heb 3:2–6Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
- Dan 5:2Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
- Exod 27:3And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
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Original language
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