1 Corinthians 9
9
Paul’s Use of Liberty
1Am I not free [unrestrained and exempt from any obligation]? Am I not an apostle? Have I not #9:1 Paul knew that to be an apostle in the same sense as the original twelve apostles (with Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:26), he had to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22). His encounter with Christ on his journey to Damascus met this requirement (Acts 9:2-8, 27; 22:6-21; 26:12-18).seen Jesus our [risen] Lord [in person]? Are you not [the result and proof of] my work in the Lord? 2If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it].
3This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]: 4Have we not the right to our food and drink [at the expense of the churches]? 5Have we not the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas (Peter)? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop doing manual labor [in order to support our ministry]? 7[Consider this:] Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8Do I say these things only from a man’s perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating the grain].” Is it [only] for oxen that God cares? [Deut 25:4] 10Or does He speak entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake: The plowman ought to plow #9:10 In the NT the word “hope” expresses a cherished desire along with the confident assurance of obtaining that which is longed for.in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest. 11If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12If others share in this rightful claim over you, do not we even more? However, we did not exercise this right, but we put up with everything so that we will not hinder [the spread of] the good news of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who officiate in the sacred services of the temple eat from the temple [offerings of meat and bread] and those who regularly attend the altar have their share from the [offerings brought to the] altar? [Deut 18:1] 14So also [on the same principle] the Lord directed those who preach the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
15But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my #9:15 Paul was not bragging, but rejoicing because he could support himself as a tradesman while he ministered.boast [in this matter of financial support]. 16For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]! 17For if I do this work #9:17 Paul did not seek his call to minister, he was chosen by a sovereign act of God.of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God’s choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship. 18What then is my reward? [Just this:] that, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge [to everyone], so as not to take advantage of my rights [as a preacher and apostle] in [preaching] the gospel.
19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ]. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the Law, [I became] as one #9:20 Cf Acts 21:20-26.under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those who are under the Law. 21To those who are without (outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22To the #9:22 Paul may be talking about those with spiritually immature consciences regarding questionable issues (see ch 8). If so, he means that he abstained from any practice which he knew was actually acceptable for him, but capable of posing a bad example for others who were less mature spiritually.weak I became [as the] weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means [in any and every way] save some [by leading them to faith in Jesus Christ]. 23And I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings along with you.
24 # 9:24 The Isthmian Games, held near Corinth, were among the major athletic competitions of ancient Greece. The Corinthians’ familiarity with this sporting event would have made this passage (vv 24-27) very meaningful to them. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours! 25Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a #9:25 Lit perishable crown, usually a woven wreath of pine worn as a crown.crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]. 26Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing]. 27But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].
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1 Corinthians 9
9
Paul’s Example as an Apostle
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal # Rv 5:1 of my apostleship in the Lord. 3My defense to those who examine me is this: 4Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? # 2Th 3:8-9 5Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife # Lit a sister as a wife like the other apostles, # Jd 17 the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas? # Jn 1:42 6Or do Barnabas # Ac 4:36 and I alone have no right to refrain from working? 7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? # Lk 3:14 Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? 8Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox # Lk 13:15 while it treads out grain. # Dt 25:4 # Dt 25:4 Is God really concerned with oxen? 10Or isn’t He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, # Rm 4:24 because he who plows ought to plow in hope, # Ac 23:6; 1Th 1:3 and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop. # 2Tm 2:6 11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? 12If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?
However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything # Ac 20:33-35; 2Co 6:3-10; 11:7-12 so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. 13Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar # Lv 6:16,26; 7:6,31-32; Nm 5:9-10; 18:8-20,31; Dt 18:1 share in the offerings of the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel. # Mt 10:8-10; Lk 10:7
15But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! 16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted # Lk 16:11 with a stewardship. 18What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel. # 2Co 11:7; 12:13
19Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win # 1Pt 3:1 more people. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law — though I myself am not under the law # Other mss omit though I myself am not under law — to win those under the law. # Ac 16:3; 21:23-26 21To those who are without that law, # Rm 2:12,14; Gl 2:3; 3:2 like one without the law — not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law — to win those without the law. 22To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. # Rm 11:14; 1Co 7:16 23Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits. # Lit partner of it
24Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, # Jd 3 but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. # Col 2:18 25Now everyone who competes exercises self-control # Gl 5:23 in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown # 1Pt 5:4 that will fade away, # 1Pt 1:18 but we a crown that will never fade away. 26Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. # Heb 6:8
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