Among the final directions from Paul in his first epistle to the church in Corinth is this interesting expression in the KJV and ASV. It is grouped among other admonitions in First Corinthians 16:13: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” This expression comes from a single Greek word that is only found once right here in our passage.
It actually means the very opposite of that which it sounds—Paul is encouraging these brethren to discharge their duties in true manly fashion. In other words, they were not to be cowards. They were not to be timid in their pursuit of godly things. They were not to allow their enemies to alarm them and create fear to the point of discouraging them from doing that which they knew was right. They were to be brave. In modern times, we would express it, “Be a man!” This expression, along with the others within First Corinthians 16:13, is a verse for soldiers and warriors!
Whenever we have difficulty understanding a Biblical expression, it is often helpful to research other translations to gain a better understanding. Note the following:
- “…act as men” (McCord).
- “…act like men” (NASV).
- “…have courage” (NCV).
- “…be men of courage” (NIV).
- “…be brave” (NKJV).
- “…be courageous” (RSV).
- “…acquit yourselves like men” (WNT).
It is interesting that while we do not find this word anywhere else in our Greek New Testaments, we do find this word in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) a number of different times. Most notably, we find this expression within the emphatic encouragement that God gave to Joshua as he took the reins of leadership following the death of his mentor, Moses: “Be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:6-9), to which even several of the tribes of Israel responded assuredly in the same fashion (Joshua 1:18). David gave this same encouragement to his son, Solomon: “Be strong and of good courage” (1 Chronicles 28:20). Hezekiah encouraged his captains concerning the invasion of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, with these same words: “Be strong and courageous” (2 Chronicles 32:7). One may find this expression about nineteen other times in the Septuagint.
In addition, we can see the same expression translated in the same way in the Old Testament. For example, the Philistines rang their battle cry against the Israelites, “Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight” (1 Samuel 4:9). In similar fashion, Joab, captain of the Israelite army under King David, encouraged the troops when he said, “Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good” (2 Samuel 10:12).
By gaining a better grasp of this expression, it reminds us of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:14: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine….” I cannot help but attach this with what he had written previously—“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Thus, when Satan sends enemies to attack us and other saints within the church of our Lord, we do not flinch! We maintain our ground. We press forward and strike as good soldiers of the cross (cf. Ephesians 6:10-20). May we all resolve to become Christians who are brave in the face of moral danger!