to be agreeable (or by implication · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
all
πάνταpanta
G3956
all · adjective — accusative plural neuter
all
πᾶσινpasin
G3956
all · adjective — dative plural masculine
not
μὴmē
G3361
(adverb) not · particle — negative
seeking
ζητῶνzētōn
G2212
to seek (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
own
ἐμαυτοῦemautoû
G1683
of myself so likewise the dative case
profit
σύμφορονsumphoron
G4851
to bear together (contribute) · verb — present active participle, accusative singular masculine
but
ἀλλὰalla
G235
properly · conjunction
the
τὸto
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied · article — accusative singular neuter
many
πολλῶνpollōn
G4183
(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — genitive plural masculine
that
ἵναina
G2443
compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
saved
σωθῶσιν.¶sōthōsin
G4982
to save · verb — aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person plural
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Romans 15:2-3 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Romans 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
2 Corinthians 12:19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
2 Corinthians 11:28-29 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 10:23–end
In this passage the apostle shows in what instances, notwithstanding, Christians might lawfully eat what had been sacrificed to idols. They must not eat it out of religious respect to the idol, nor go into his temple, and hold a feast there, upon what they knew was an idol-sacrifice; nor perhaps out of the temple, if they knew it was a feast held upon a sacrifice, but there were cases wherein they might without sin eat what had been offered. Some such the apostle here enumerates. - But,
I. He gives a caution against abusing our liberty in lawful things. That may be lawful which is not expedient, which will not edify. A Christian must not barely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient,…
I please--I try to please (Co1 9:19, Co1 9:22; Rom 15:2).
not seeking mine own-- (Co1 10:24).
many--rather as Greek, "THE many."
Next: 1 Corinthians Chapter 11
Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 10:33
Even as I please all men - Act as I do: forgetting myself, my own interests, convenience, ease, and comfort, I labor for the welfare of others; and particularly that they may be saved. How blessed and amiable was the spirit and conduct of this holy man!
This chapter has already presented the serious reader with a variety of maxims for his regulation. -
1. As to his own private walk;
2. His domestic duties; and
3. His connection with the Church of God.
Let us review some of the principal parts.
1. We should be on our guard against what are called little sins, and all occasions and excitements to sin. Take heed what company you frequent. One thing, apparently harmless, may lead by almost impe…
Even as I please all men in all things,.... The apostle sets himself as an example, though he was far from being a man pleaser, in the bad sense of that phrase; nor must these all things, in which he is said to please all men, be taken in the largest sense; but are to be understood of things indifferent, which might be done or avoided, without breaking the law of or contradicting the Gospel of Christ, or any of its rules and ordinances, to all which the apostle was inviolably attached; nor did he in these things seek to please men, but in all to act the part of a faithful servant of Christ, and steward of the mysteries of grace; see 1 Corinthians 9:19. Moreover, it is not to bc thought that…
The Church Fathers
It was not for his own temporal advantage that he has spoken of the peace of the era to come but for his fellow believers and neighbors, so that they should long for it to gain salvation and chain themselves with the bonds of unanimity.
The apostle says in a certain place, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ;" and the same apostle says in another place, "I please all men in all things," and adds the reason, "Not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."... What the apostle says, then, in the first of these passages, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ," is to be understood as if he said, If the good things which I do were done by me with human praise as my motive, if I were puffed up with the love of praise, I should not be the servant of Christ. The apostle, then, wished to please all men, and rejoiced in pleasing them, not that he might himself be inflated with their praises, but that he being praised might build them up in Christ.
If we reject the repentance of those who have some confidence in a conscience that may be tolerated; at once with their wife, with their children, whom they had kept safe, they are hurried by the devil's invitation into heresy or schism; and it will be attributed to us in the day of judgment, that we have not cared for the wounded sheep, and that on account of a single wounded one we have lost many sound ones. And whereas the Lord left the ninety and nine that were whole, and sought after the one wandering and weary, and Himself carried it, when found, upon His shoulders, we not only do not seek the lapsed, but even drive them away when they come to us; and while false prophets are not ceasing to lay waste and tear Christ's flock, we give an opportunity to dogs and wolves, so that those whom a hateful persecution has not destroyed, we ruin by our hardness and inhumanity. And what will become, dearest brother, of what the apostle says: "I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ." And again: "To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak." And again: "Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Charitableness · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Edification · Use self-denial to promote, in others — Use self-denial to promote, in others
Evil · APPEARANCE OF, TO BE AVOI — APPEARANCE OF, TO BE AVOI
Expediency · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Ministers · Should seek the salvation of their flock — Should seek the salvation of their flock
Prudence · 5:25,26;7:6; — 5:25,26;7:6;
Self-Denial · Should be exercised in: Not seeking out own profit — Should be exercised in: Not seeking out own profit
Selfishness · Exhibited in: Seeking our own — Exhibited in: Seeking our own
Unselfishness · .Paul — .Paul
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
1 Corinthians 10:25-33
25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
25. Quicquid in macello venditur, edite, nihil disceptantes propter conscientiam.
26. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
26. Domini enim est terra, et plenitudo eius. (Psalm 24:1.)
27. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
27. Si quis autem infidelium vos vocat, et vultis ire, quicquid vobis apponitur edite, nihil disceptantes propter conscientiam.
28. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake…
Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
Paul concludes his discussion by summarizing the two principles that are to guide Christian behavior in issues like this: (1) Believers are to do everything for the glory of God (see Col 3:17; 1 Pet 4:11); (2) believers are not to give offense and should avoid doing anything that would harm another person’s Christian faith (cp. 1 Cor 8:9, 13; 1 Jn 2:10). Christians’ behavior is to be guided by what is best for others rather than by personal privilege (cp. Rom 14:13-15, 19-21; 15:1-2). These two basic principles lie at the heart of Paul’s advice on practical Christian living in this letter.