Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
1 Corinthians 16:21 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 21. 21The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand.
The letter ends with household greetings, a severe line, and love for all.
This verse is one part of that explanation in 1 Corinthians 16:19–24. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- 1 Corinthians 16:19–24
Read 1 Corinthians 16:21 with 16:19–24. This verse authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand. The complete unit establishes: Paul closes with greetings across regional and house-church networks, a holy communal greeting, his handwritten authentication, a severe warning joined to 'Our Lord, come,' grace from Jesus, and Paul's love for all in Christ.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The closing locates the corrected Corinthians inside a wider network and lets warning, longing, grace, and love—not factional victory—have the last word. At 16:21, this verse authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand.
Follow the Context
- Asian assemblies send greetings.
- Aquila and Prisca greet with the assembly in their house.
- All believers greet, and a holy kiss embodies fellowship.
- Paul authenticates the letter by hand.
- The loveless warning and Maranatha express serious allegiance and longing.
- Jesus's grace and Paul's love close the letter.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand”
In plain language: This verse authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand.
It contributes specifically to House Churches, Holy Greeting, Warning, Grace, and Love Close the Letter inside 1 Corinthians 16:19–24.
Why it matters: The verse carries enough interpretive or pastoral weight to require the full unit and its explicit limits.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
1 Corinthians 16:21 does not turn the fact that it authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand into a standalone universal rule.
What Remains True
This verse authenticates the closing in Paul's own hand. This supports the unit's enduring conclusion: Corrected communities remain joined across households and regions under the Lord's coming, grace, and love.
Teach It Back
Explain 1 Corinthians 16:21's contribution to 1 Corinthians 16:19–24. Include the surrounding argument, the named interpretive uncertainty, and one use the verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read 1 Corinthians 16:19–24 — House Churches, Holy Greeting, Warning, Grace, and Love Close the LetterSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The force of the anathema, segmentation of Maranatha, original name order, and later subscription are disputed. Grace and Paul's explicit love for all materially govern the tone.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 1 Corinthians 16:19–24, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file 1Cor.txt, 16:19–24
Open the 1 Corinthians Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - 1 Corinthians with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible 1 Corinthians 16:19–24 print view with translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 1 Corinthians PDFLexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository morphology and lexical records for 1 Corinthians 16:19–24
Open source ↗modern open commentary
1 Corinthians
Eric C. Redmond
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Whole-letter movement, Corinthian setting, bibliography, major alternatives, and verse-level interpretation.
Exact location: Redmond, The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary: 1 Corinthians, introduction and section on 16:19–24
Open source ↗