Ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον φανερὸν γενήσεται· ἡ γὰρ ἡμέρα δηλώσει· ὅτι ἐν πυρὶ ἀποκαλύπτεται· καὶ ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον ὁποῖόν ἐστι τὸ πῦρ δοκιμάσει. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
Each one’s work will become evident: for the day will make it clear, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire will test what sort of work each one has.
Future Revelation, Present Testing
Paul describes the eschatological testing of each person’s work with a striking mixture of future indicatives, present verbs, and a purposeful use of fire as agent. The syntax underscores both the certainty of future unveiling and the ongoing principle of divine testing already at work.
The Future of Disclosure: φανερὸν γενήσεται
- γενήσεται – future middle indicative of γίνομαι, “will become.”
- φανερὸν – predicate adjective, “manifest, revealed.”
Together: “each one’s work will become manifest.”
The use of the future tense promises an inevitable disclosure, not dependent on human recognition but on divine timing.
The Day Personified: ἡ γὰρ ἡμέρα δηλώσει
- ἡ ἡμέρα – subject, “the day.”
- δηλώσει – future active indicative of δηλόω, “will declare, make clear.”
The “day” is personified as an agent of revelation. It functions metonymically for the Day of the Lord. Grammar here transforms time into a testifying witness.
The Present Apocalyptic: ἐν πυρὶ ἀποκαλύπτεται
- ἀποκαλύπτεται – present passive indicative of ἀποκαλύπτω, “is revealed.”
- ἐν πυρί – dative of means or instrument: “in fire / by fire.”
The present tense creates a vivid effect: “it is (already) being revealed in fire.” Even though the event is future, Paul narrates it as if the unveiling is already underway. This rhetorical present brings eschatology into the now.
The Testing Fire: τὸ πῦρ δοκιμάσει
- τὸ πῦρ – subject, “the fire.”
- δοκιμάσει – future active indicative of δοκιμάζω, “will test, examine.”
The direct object is expressed in a fused relative clause: ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον ὁποῖόν ἐστι – “what kind each one’s work is.” The fire does not merely destroy but evaluates, proving quality by ordeal.
Table: Verbal Sequence of Revelation
| Verb | Parsing | Temporal Force | Interpretive Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| γενήσεται | Future middle indicative | Inevitable disclosure | What is hidden must become visible |
| δηλώσει | Future active indicative | Day as revealer | Time itself bears witness |
| ἀποκαλύπτεται | Present passive indicative | Dramatic present | Eschatology narrated as present reality |
| δοκιμάσει | Future active indicative | Final testing | Fire examines quality, not just endurance |
From Hidden Work to Open Trial
The passage’s grammar builds tension:
- Future certainty: work will be revealed, the Day will declare, the fire will test.
- Present vividness: already it is being revealed in fire.
Paul’s syntax bridges the “already” and the “not yet.” The believer’s work is never hidden from God, though its true quality awaits the testing of fire.
Thus grammar itself becomes theology: the future promises accountability, the present anticipates unveiling, and the fire of judgment evaluates essence, not appearance.
