If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
If ... be burnt - If any man's work consist of such materials as the fire will destroy.
Suffer loss - i:e., forfeit the special "reward;" not that he shall lose salvation (which is a free gift, not a "reward," or wages), for he remains on the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:12; 2 John 1:8).
Saved; yet so as by fire - rather, 'so as if through fire' (Zechariah 3:2; Amos 4:11; Jude 1:23). The 'as if' shows the phrase to be figurative: having a narrow escape (Psalms 66:12; Isaiah 43:2). The 'Lord suddenly coming to His temple' in flaming "fire" all parts of the building which will not stand that fire will be consumed; the builders will escape with personal salvation, but with the loss of their work. Again, we may regard the superstructure as representing less essential matters added to the essentials: a man may err as to the former, and have the mortification of seeing much of his labour lost, and yet be saved; but not so as to the latter (cf. Philippians 3:15).