1 Corinthians 4:21

τί θέλετε ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πρᾳότητος
What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
τί
G5101 I-ASN
tis
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
  • who, which, what
θέλετε
G2309 V-PAI-2P
thelō
to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas G1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e., choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e., be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in
  • to will, have in mind, intend
    • to be resolved or determined, to purpose
      • "to desire, to wish"to love
      • to like to do a thing, be fond of doing
      to take delight in, have pleasure
ἐν
G1722 PREP
en
___%___in,___%___ at, (up-)on, by, etc
  • in, by, with
ῥάβδῳ
G4464 N-DSF
rhabdos
a stick or wand (as a cudgel, a cane or a baton of royalty)
  • a staff, a walking stick, a twig, rod, branch
    • "a rod with which one is beaten"a staff
    • as used on a journey, or to lean upon, or by shepherds
      • "when applied to kings
      • with a rod of iron, indicates the severest, most rigorous rule
        • "a royal sceptre
ἔλθω
G2064 V-2AAS-1S
erchomai
to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
  • to come
    • of persons
      • to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving
        • "to appear, make one's appearance, come before the public
    metaphorically
    • to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence
      • "be established, become known, to come (fall) into or unto
    to go, to follow one
πρὸς
G4314 PREP
pros
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e., near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e., whither or for which it is predicated)
  • to the advantage of
    • "at, near, by"to, towards, with, with regard to
ὑμᾶς
G5209
hymas
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
  • you
ἢ
G2228 CONJ
ē
disjunctive, or; comparative, than
  • either, or, than
ἐν
G1722 PREP
en
___%___in,___%___ at, (up-)on, by, etc
  • in, by, with
ἀγάπῃ
G26 N-DSF
agapē
love, i.e., affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
  • brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
    • "love feasts
πνεύματί
G4151 N-DSN
pneuma
a current of air, i.e., breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e., (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit
  • a movement of air (a gentle blast
    • of the wind, hence the wind itself
      • "breath of nostrils or mouth
    the spirit, i.e., the vital principal by which the body is animated
    • the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides
      • "the soul
    a spirit, i.e., a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting
    • a life giving spirit
      • "a human soul that has left the body"a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e., an angel
      • used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men
        • "the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ
    of God
    • God's power and agency distinguishable in thought from his essence in itself considered
      • manifest in the course of affairs
        • "by its influence upon the souls productive in the theocratic body (the church) of all the higher spiritual gifts and blessings"the third person of the trinity, the God the Holy Spirit
    the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one
    • the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.
τε
G5037 CONJ
te
both or also (properly, as correlation of G2532)
  • not only ... but also
    • "both ... and"as ... so
πρᾳότητος
G4236
praotēs
gentleness, by implication, humility
  • gentleness, mildness, meekness

τί θέλετε ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πρᾳότητος
21
What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
Cross References

2 Corinthians 13:2

προείρηκα καὶ προλέγω ὡς παρὼν τὸ δεύτερον καὶ ἀπὼν νῦν γράφω τοῖς προημαρτηκόσιν καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσιν ὅτι ἐὰν ἔλθω εἰς τὸ πάλιν οὐ φείσομαι
2
I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

2 Corinthians 13:10

διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ἀπὼν γράφω ἵνα παρὼν μὴ ἀποτόμως χρήσωμαι κατὰ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἣν ἔδωκέν μοι ὁ κύριος εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν
10
Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

2 Corinthians 12:20

φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μήπως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε· μήπως ἔρεις ζῆλοι θυμοί ἐριθείαι καταλαλιαί ψιθυρισμοί φυσιώσεις ἀκαταστασίαι·
20
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and I that shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

1 Thessalonians 2:7

ἀλλ' ἐγενήθημεν ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα
7
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

2 Corinthians 2:3

καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην ἔχω ἀφ' ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστιν
3
And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

James 3:17

ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν ἔπειτα εἰρηνική ἐπιεικής εὐπειθής μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀδιάκριτος καὶ ἀνυπόκριτος
17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

2 Corinthians 1:23

Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον
23
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

2 Corinthians 2:1

ἔκρινα δὲ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο τὸ μὴ πάλιν ἐλθεῖν ἐν λύπῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς
1
But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

2 Corinthians 10:1

Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐγὼ Παῦλος παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς διὰ τῆς πρᾳότητος καὶ ἐπιεικείας τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὃς κατὰ πρόσωπον μὲν ταπεινὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἀπὼν δὲ θαῤῥῶ εἰς ὑμᾶς·
1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

2 Corinthians 10:6

καὶ ἐν ἑτοίμῳ ἔχοντες ἐκδικῆσαι πᾶσαν παρακοήν ὅταν πληρωθῇ ὑμῶν ἡ ὑπακοή
6
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

2 Corinthians 10:8

ἐάν τε γὰρ καὶ περισσότερόν τι καυχήσωμαι περὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἡμῶν ἡς ἔδωκεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῖν εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν ὑμῶν οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσομαι
8
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

2 Corinthians 3:10

καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ δεδόξασται τὸ δεδοξασμένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης δόξης
10
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

1 Corinthians 5:5

παραδοῦναι τὸν τοιοῦτον τῷ Σατανᾷ εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκός ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ
5
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 4:20
Read 1 Corinthians 4