1 Corinthians · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
1 Corinthians 9 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye 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 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
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 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
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 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
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 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for 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 Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
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 have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder 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 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with 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 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
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 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
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 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto 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 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
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 For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are 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 them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without 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 the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save 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 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].
23 Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
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 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
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 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
26 I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,
27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
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)