1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians · Chapter 9

1 Corinthians 9:27

1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,4Have we not power to eat and to drink?5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?7Who 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?8Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?9For 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?10Or 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.11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?12If 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.13Do 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?14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.15But 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.16For 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!17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.18What 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.19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.20And 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;21To 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.22To 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.23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.25And 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.26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27But 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
27But 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.No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
Butἀλλ᾽all᾽G0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

I batterὑπωπιάζωhupōpiazōG5299
to wear out

ὑπωπιάζω (hupōpiazō) ὑπωπιάζω (ὑπώπιον, (a) the part of the face below the eyes; (b) a blow on the face), to strike under the eye, give a black eye: metaphorically, (a) of persistent annoyance (RV, wear out), Luk.18:6; (b) of severe self-discipline (R, txt. buffet, mg. bruise), 1Co.9:27 (see Field, Notes, 71, 174).† ὑπο-πιάζω, later form of ὑποπιέζω, to press slightly; metaphorically, to repress: 1Co.9:27 T.7 for ὑπωπιάζω, which see† (AS)

myμουmouG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

bodyσῶμαsōmaG4983
body

σῶμα (sōma) σῶμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX for גְּוִיָּה ,בָּשָׂר, etc., and for Aram. נְבֵלָה ;] a body. 1. Prop., of the human body, (a) as always in Hom. (opposite to δέμας), of the dead body: Mat.27:58, 59 Mrk.15:43, al.; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

bring [it] into servitude,δουλαγωγῶ,doulagōgōG1396
to enslave

δουλαγωγέω (doulagōgeō) δουλαγωγέω, -ῶ (δοῦλος, ἄγω), to make a slave, bring into bondage: 1Co.9:27 (Cremer, 703).† (AS)

lestμήmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

perhapsπωςpōsG4458
somehow

πω (pō) πω enclit. part., yet, see: μή-πω, μηδέ-πω, οὔ-πω, οὐδέ-πω, πώ-ποτε πώ-ποτε adv., ever yet: Luk.19:30, Jhn.1:18 5:37 6:35 8:33, 1Jn.4:12.† (AS)

to othersἄλλοιςalloisG0243
another

ἄλλος (allos) ἄλλος, -η, -ο, (cf. Lat. alius, Eng. else), [in LXX for אַחֵר ,אֶחָד, etc. ;] other, another: absol., Mat.20:3, al.; ἄ. δέ, 1Co.3:10 12:8; pl., Mrk.6:15; attached to a noun, Mat.2:12 4:21, al.; with art., ὁ ἄ., the other, Mat.5:39, Jhn.19:32 (Bl., §47, 8); οἱ ἄ., the others, the rest, Jhn.20:25, 1Co.14:29; ἄ. πρὸς ἄλλον = πρὸς ἀλλήλους (BL, §48, 10), Act.2:12; ἄλλ᾽ (i.e. ἄλλο) ἤ (Bl., §77, 13), Luk.12:51; before πλήν, Mrk.12:32; εἰ μή, Jhn.6:22; παρά with accusative, 1Co.3:11. …

having preachedκηρύξαςkēruxasG2784
to preach

κηρύσσω (kērussō) κηρύσσω [in LXX chiefly for קָרָא ;] to be a herald, to proclaim: Mrk.1:45 7:36, Luk.4:18-19" (LXX) (but see Field, Notes, 174) Luk.8:39, Rom.2:21, 1Co.9:27, Gal.5:11, al.; in NT, chiefly of the proclamation of the Gospel, to proclaim, preach: τὸ εὐαγέλιον, Mat.4:23 9:35 24:14 26:13, Mrk.1:14 13:10 14:9 16:15, Gal.2:2, Col.1:23, 1Th.2:9; before εἰς, Mrk.1:39 13:10, Luk.4:44, 1Th.2:9; ἵνα, Mrk.6:12; with inf.. Rom.2:21; κ. Χριστόν, Ἰησοῦν, Act.8:5 9:20 19:13, 1Co.1:23 15:12, 2Co.1:19 11:4, Php.1:15; 1Ti.3:16 (cf. προ-κηρύσσω) (AS)

myselfαὐτὸςautosG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

disqualifiedἀδόκιμοςadokimosG0096
failing

ἀδόκιμος (adokimos) ἀ-δόκιμος, -ον, [in LXX: Pro.25:4, Isa.1:22 (סִיג) * ;] 1. of things (prop. of metals: LXX, ll. with), not standing the test, rejected: γῆ, Heb.6:8. 2. Of persons, rejected after testing, reprobate: Rom.1:28, 1Co.9:27, 2Co.13:5-7, 2Ti.3:8, Tit.1:16 (Cremer, 212). † (AS)

I may be.γένωμαι.¶genōmaiG1096
to be

γίνομαι (ginomai) γίνομαι, Ion. and κοινή for Att. γίγν- (M. Pr., 47; Bl., §6, 8 Mayser, 166 f.), [in LXX chiefly for היה ;] 1. of persons, things occurrences, to come into being, be born, arise, come on: Jhn.1:15 8:58, 1Co.15:37; a first appearance in public, Mrk.1:4, Jhn.1:6, al.; before ἐκ (of birth), Rom.1:3, Gal.4:4; διά, Jhn.1:3; βροντή, Jhn.12:29; σεισμός, Rev.6:12; γογγυσμός, Act.6:1; χαρά, Act.8:8, many other similar exx.; ἡμέρα, Luk.22:66, al.; ὀψέ, Mrk.11:19; πρωΐα, Mat.27:1; νύξ, Act.27:27. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.