What Does 1 Corinthians 15:10 Mean in the King James?

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The favor that makes you who you are is also the force at work in what you do.

THE MEANING

God’s favor is with you now as something active, not an empty gift. Your labor can be real and abundant without becoming the source of your being; what you do grows from what you receive. This verse holds effort and dependence together: you work, yet favor is at work with you.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that favor makes effort irrelevant, or that effort creates the self God favors.

THE ROOT

χάρις

charis

GROWS FROM

χαρ

char

The Greek word family of favor, giving freely, and joy.

English “grace” can sound like a gift that is simply received and left behind, but ⁨χάρις⁩ belongs to a word family that also includes joy and freely granting. Here favor remains “with” you and becomes active in your labor.

ALSO GROWS

charizomai: To grant freely, show favor, or forgive.

χαρίζομαι

This branch shows favor as an act of giving; in the verse, what is given is also present and at work.

chara: Joy.

χαρά

This related word makes visible the family’s connection between favor and joy, rather than reducing favor to a static benefit.

chairō: To rejoice or be glad.

χαίρω

This branch shares the same Greek word family, showing that favor is connected with a lived response, not only a bestowed status.

THE PATTERN

God-given capacity does not erase human work; it makes fruitful work possible.

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 31:3 · KJVWisdom, understanding, and workmanship are pictured as filling the worker, so skillful labor is human and received.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2 Corinthians 9:8 · KJVFavor abounds toward you so that your capacity for good work can abound too.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10 · KJVGood works are a path you walk in, while your being is already described as God’s workmanship.

THE THREAD

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2 Corinthians 9:8 · KJV

The same Greek word ⁨χάρις⁩ (charis, favor) appears here, where it abounds toward you and leads to an abundance of good work. The connection shows labor as the fruit of favor, not its payment.

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