But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else.
Parallel translations
- KJV But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
- BSB Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.
- NKJV But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
- NASB But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another.
- NLT Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
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
Each person should examine his own work, so that any boasting rests on himself and not on comparison with others. We are to test our own lives before God rather than measure ourselves against others.
Overview
Paul urges honest self-examination instead of self-congratulation by comparison. Whatever cause for satisfaction a believer may have should come from sober assessment of his own conduct before God, not from feeling superior to others. This encourages humility and personal responsibility, freeing believers from the rivalry that destroys community.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 2 Cor 13:5Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.
- Ps 26:2Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me. Try my heart and my mind.
- 1 Cor 11:28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
- 2 Cor 1:12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
- 2 Cor 11:12–13But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.
- 1 Jn 3:19–22And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- 1 Cor 3:21–23Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,
- 1 Cor 4:3–4But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment. Yes, I don’t judge my own self.
- Prov 14:14The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
- Job 13:15Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
- 1 Cor 1:12–13Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”
- 1 Cor 4:6–7Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
- Gal 6:13For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
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Original language
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