What does 1 Corinthians 10:24 really mean by not seeking your own?
It means Paul is not telling believers to covet what another person has; rather, they must stop constantly asking what is in it for themselves. Instead, they should care about what benefits their neighbor and how their conduct enhances the neighbor’s situation.
Les explains that the word “wealth” is italicized in most translations, which he thinks is unfortunate and should have been left blank. Paul is not saying you should try to get what the next man has, because that would contradict everything he teaches. What Paul really means is that we are not to constantly look for what’s in it for number one—the cliché, “What’s in it for me?” Instead, don’t be concerned about what you do for yourself, but be concerned about what it will do for your neighbor and how it will enhance his situation. That, Les says, is exactly what Paul is driving at.
Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
More Questions
Does 1 Corinthians 10:24 mean Christians should try to get what other people have?
In 1 Corinthians 10:24 Paul is not telling believers to try to get what the next man has, because that would fly in the face of everything else Paul teaches.