1 Corinthians 3:18 - Exposition

Let no man deceive himself . Like the other formula, "Be not deceived" ( 1 Corinthians 6:9 ; 1 Corinthians 15:33 ; Galatians 6:7 ); "Deceive not yourselves" ( Jeremiah 37:9 ); "Let no man deceive you" (Marl 24:4; Luke 21:8 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ; Ephesians 5:6 ; 1 John 3:7 ). We are so liable to self deception ( 1 John 1:8 ; Galatians 6:3 ), as well as to being deceived by others ( 2 Timothy 3:13 ), that there was need to repeat this warning incessantly. Seemeth to be wise; rather, thinketh that he is wise. He is referring specially to the Apollos party, who vaunted their esoteric knowledge, and so were "wise in their own eyes, prudent in their own conceits" (Is 5:21).