1 Corinthians · Free Bible Version
1 Corinthians 9 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the results of my work in the Lord?
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord?
2 Even if I'm not an apostle to others, at least I am one to you. The proof of my being an apostle of the Lord is you!
2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 Here is my reply to those who question me about this:
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4 Don't we have the right to be provided with food and drink?
4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5 Don't we have a right to be accompanied by a Christian wife, like the rest of the apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Peter?
5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Is it only Barnabas and myself who have to work to support ourselves?
6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
7 Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?
7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?
8 Am I just speaking from a human point of view? Doesn't the law say the same thing?
8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
9 In the law of Moses it's written, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Was God just thinking about oxen?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,
10 Wasn't he directing this at us? Surely this was written for us—for anyone who plows should plow in hope and anyone who threshes should hope to share in the harvest.
10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.
11 If we sowed what is spiritual with you, does it really matter if we reap some material benefit?
11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
12 If others exercise this right over you, don't we deserve it even more? Even so we did not exercise this right. On the contrary we would rather put up with anything than hold back the gospel of Christ.
12 If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.
13 Don't you know that those who work in temples receive their meals from temple offerings, and those who serve at the altar receive their portion of the sacrifice on the altar?
13 Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?
14 In just the same way the Lord ordered that those who announce the good news should live from supporters of the good news.
14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
15 But I have not made use of any of these provisions, and I'm not writing about this to suggest it should be done in my case. I'd rather die than to have anyone take away my pride in not having received any benefit.
15 But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.
16 I have nothing to boast about in sharing the good news because it's something I feel compelled to do. In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news!
16 For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about, for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News.
17 If I'm doing this work because of my own choice, then I have a reward. But if it wasn't my choice, and an obligation was placed on me,
17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
18 then what reward do I have? It's the opportunity to share the good news without charging for it, not demanding my rights as a worker for the good news.
18 What then is my reward? That when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.
19 Even though I am free and serve no one, I have placed myself in service to everyone so that I might gain more.
19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20 To the Jews I behave like a Jew so that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law I behave as someone under the law (even though I am not obligated under the law), so that I might win those under the law.
20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
21 To those who don't operate according to the law, I behave like them (though not disregarding God's law, but operating under the law of Christ), so that I might gain those who don't observe the law.
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
22 To those who are weak, I share in their weakness so that I may win the weak. I have ended up being “everyman” to everyone so that by using every possible means I might win some!
22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23 I do all this for the sake of the good news so that I too may share in its blessings!
23 Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.
24 Wouldn't you agree that there are many runners in a race, but only one gets the prize? So run your best, so you may win!
24 Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.
25 Every competitor who participates in the games maintains a strict training discipline. Of course they do so to win a crown that doesn't last. But our crowns will last forever!
25 Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.
26 That's why I run straight in the right direction. I fight accurately, not punching the air.
26 I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,
27 I also treat my body severely to bring it under my control, for I don't want somehow to be disqualified after sharing the good news with everybody else.
27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
Cross references (27)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 9:17; Acts 9:3; 1 Timothy 2:7; Acts 23:11; 1 Corinthians 9:19
- 2 2 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 3:1–3; John 6:27
- 3 Acts 25:16; 2 Timothy 4:16; Philippians 1:7; Acts 22:1; Philippians 1:17
- 4 1 Thessalonians 2:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:8–9; Luke 10:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Matthew 10:10
- 5 John 1:42; Matthew 8:14; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 7:7; Galatians 1:19
- 6 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9; Acts 13:1–2; Acts 18:3; Acts 4:36; 1 Thessalonians 2:9
- 7 Proverbs 27:18; Deuteronomy 20:6; 2 Timothy 2:3–4; 1 Corinthians 3:6–8; 1 Timothy 1:18
- 8 Romans 6:19; Isaiah 8:20; 1 Corinthians 14:34; Romans 3:31; 1 Corinthians 7:40
- 9 Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Timothy 5:18; Psalm 104:27; Psalm 145:15–16; Jonah 4:11
- 10 Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 2:6; Romans 4:23–24; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 3:9
- 11 Romans 15:27; Galatians 6:6; Matthew 10:10; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Malachi 3:8–9
- 12 2 Corinthians 11:12; 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Corinthians 9:18; 2 Corinthians 11:7–10; 1 Thessalonians 2:6–9
- 13 Numbers 5:9–10; Leviticus 6:26; Numbers 18:8–20; 1 Samuel 2:28; 1 Corinthians 10:18
- 14 Matthew 10:10; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 1 Corinthians 9:4; Galatians 6:6; Luke 10:7
- 15 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 2 Corinthians 11:9–12; Acts 20:34
- 16 Romans 1:14; Jeremiah 20:9; Colossians 4:17; Luke 9:62; Acts 4:20
- 17 Galatians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Colossians 1:25; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Matthew 10:41
- 18 2 Corinthians 11:7–9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8–9; 1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:6
- 19 Galatians 5:13; Matthew 18:15; 1 Corinthians 10:33; James 5:19–20; Matthew 20:26–28
- 20 Acts 16:3; Galatians 5:18; Acts 21:20–26; Acts 17:2–3; Acts 18:18
- 21 Romans 2:12; Galatians 3:2; Romans 2:14; Matthew 5:17–20; 1 Corinthians 7:19–22
- 22 1 Corinthians 10:33; Romans 15:1; 1 Corinthians 9:19; Romans 11:14; Galatians 6:1
- 23 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Corinthians 9:25–27; Mark 8:35; 1 John 1:3; Galatians 2:5
- 24 Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:7–8; Revelation 3:11; Philippians 2:16
- 25 2 Timothy 2:5; Revelation 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7–8; James 1:12
- 26 2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Peter 1:10; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 1:29; 2 Timothy 1:12
- 27 Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 9:25; Colossians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 13:5–6; 1 Peter 2:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Inasmuch as he had said, "If meat make my brother to stumble I will eat no flesh forever;" a thing which he had not yet done, but professed he would do if need require: lest any man should say, "Thou vauntest thyself at random, and art severe in discourse, and utterest words of promise, a thing easy to me or …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
But I so run, not as uncertainty; I fight, not as one beating the air; but I make my body livid, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when preaching to others, I may myself be rendered a castaway." This able wrestler, therefore, exhorts us to the struggle for immortality, that we may be crowned, and may deem …
But now is necessity sweet unto me, and against this sweetness do I fight, lest I be enthralled; and I carry on a daily war by fasting, oftentimes "bringing my body into subjection," and my pains are expelled by pleasure.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… said, "Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." Thus doth Paul also: when he had first established his reasoning by illustrations from common things, and had said, "Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk thereof?" then he brings in the Scriptures also, saying, "It is written in the law of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… candle on a candlestick, when he says, "So fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I preach to others, I myself should be found a castaway." When He says, however, "that it may give light to all who are in the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)