Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 3:23
and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Corinthian church to conclude his argument against factionalism by redirecting their focus from human leaders to divine ownership. He addresses the moment when believers were boasting in specific apostles, emphasizing that all things ultimately serve them because of their place in Christ.
The words — The verse hinges on the Greek ὑμεῖς (humeis) meaning "you" and θεοῦ (theou) meaning "of God," framing a chain of possession that moves from the believers to Christ and finally to the Father.
The thread — This ownership motif recurs in Galatians 3:29, which links belonging to Christ with being Abraham’s heirs, and in John 17:9, where Jesus prays for those the Father has given Him.
Why it lands — The text demands that readers abandon pride in human teachers and recognize that their identity and security rest entirely in Christ’s submission to God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
Cross-references
- Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
- John 17:9 I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
- John 17:18 As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
- 1 Corinthians 15:23 But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
- 2 Corinthians 10:7 You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
- John 17:21 that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
- Romans 14:8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
- 1 Corinthians 7:22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.