• 1 Corinthians 4:9
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 9 δοκῶ I am thinking γάρ, for, ὁ the θεὸς God ἡμᾶς us τοὺς the ἀποστόλους apostles ἐσχάτους last (ones) ἀπέδειξεν showed off from ὡς as ἐπιθανατίους, appointed to death, ὅτι because θέατρον theater ἐγενήθημεν we became τῷ to the κόσμῳ world καὶ and ἀγγέλοις to angels καὶ and ἀνθρώποις. to men.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:9
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles to be last of all, as men devoted to death,—In that a spectacle have we been made unto the world,—both unto messengers and unto men.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:9
    King James Version

    • 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

  • 1 Corinthians Study Notes—Chapter 4
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 4:9

      a theatrical spectacle: Lit., “a theater.” The Greek word theʹa·tron can refer either to the place where a show is presented (Ac 19:29, 31) or, as in this verse, to the show itself. Paul may have alluded to the customary closing event of Roman gladiatorial contests in the amphitheater arena. Certain participants were brought out unclad and defenseless and then were brutally killed. To the NW of the marketplace in Corinth, there was a theater capable of holding some 15,000 people. By that time, an amphitheater in the NE corner of the city was likely also in use. Thus, Corinthian Christians could well appreciate Paul’s reference to the apostles’ being “a theatrical spectacle to the world.”

      to the world, and to angels and to men: In this context, the Greek word for “world” (koʹsmos) refers to all humankind. When mentioning “angels,” Paul was not enlarging on the meaning of the term “world,” as if it included invisible spirit creatures and visible human creatures. However, he was saying that not only the world of mankind but also the angels are among those who view this spectacle. At 1Co 1:20, 21, 27, 28; 2:12; 3:19, 22, Paul used the word koʹsmos to refer to the world of humankind, and here the term may be understood in the same way.