Book excerpt: Is Paul being ironic when he thanks God for the Corinthians in 1 Cor 1:4–9? On one hand, the apostle seems sincere as he gives thanks for God’s gifting of the church. On the other hand, it can be hard to trust Paul’s sincerity when the very things mentioned (e.g., “speech” and “knowledge”) will later be associated with Paul’s rebuke of the church. This book clarifies the apostle’s intent. A look at rhetorical ornamentation from Paul’s world reveals that he is using one of the most popular rhetorical figures of his day, called emphasis. The figure allows Paul to give thanks genuinely while implicitly chiding his audience through various hints. These hints prepare for every major section of the letter and the rebukes contained within them. Intriguingly, the only two comparable thanksgivings in the letter (1:14–16; 14:18–19) also employ emphasis. These passages all reveal a subtlety that is at once sincere, critical, and even humorous. They reveal that Paul is “thanking God emphatically.”