1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not [completely] free [unrestricted, a servant to no one]? Am I not an apostle [a delegate, messenger of Jesus Christ]? Have I not seen [perceived, experienced] Jesus [Joshua, God’s salvation] our Lord [Master, the one in authority]? Are you yourselves not my workmanship [creation, result of my labor] in the Lord [God, the supreme authority]? word study 2 Even if I am not an apostle [not a messenger of Jesus Christ] to others, surely I am to you [indeed, a delegate of the Lord]. For you are the seal [a signet or mark of authenticity] of my apostleship [the office or role of an apostle] in the Lord [God, the supreme authority]. word study 3 This [my personal, unique] is my [belonging to me] defense to those [specific individuals] who [the ones] scrutinize [carefully examine or investigate] me [myself, the speaker]: word study 4 Have we [not] no right [authority, freedom] to food [nourishment, sustenance] and to drink [partake, swallow]? word study 5 Have we no right [absolute authority, complete freedom] to take along [to lead about, accompany] a believing [faithful, Christian] wife [woman, sister in the faith], as do [in the same manner as] the other [remaining] apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and the Lord’s [of God, the supreme authority] brothers [fellow believers, siblings] and Cephas [Peter, the Rock]? word study 6 Or [as a matter of choice] are Barnabas [son of prophecy] and I [as apostles] the only [alone, solitary] apostles who must work [labor, toil] for a living [to support ourselves, earn our keep]? word study 7 Who serves as a soldier [without payment] at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard [and cultivates it] and does not eat [enjoy the benefits] of its fruit? Who tends a flock [as a shepherd] and does not drink [nourish himself] of its milk? word study 8 Do I say this [from a human point of view, as a man] from a human [according to the nature of mankind] perspective? Doesn’t the Law [the set of rules, God’s instruction] say [declare, utter] the same thing [this very idea, this truth]? word study 9 For it is written [recorded, inscribed] in the Law [a set of rules or regulations] of Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver]: “Do not [absolutely not] muzzle [restrain, silence] an ox [a large domesticated animal, like a cow] while it is treading out [threshing, separating grain from husk] the grain [corn, crops].” Is it about [concerned with, caring for] oxen [domesticated animals, like cows] that God [the one true deity, Theo] is concerned [has interest or importance]? word study 10 Isn’t He actually speaking [for our sake] on our behalf? Indeed, this was written [for our benefit, to instruct us] for us, because when the plowman [who tills the soil] plows [in hope of a harvest] and the thresher [who separates grain] threshes [to gather the fruit of their labor], they should also expect [as a matter of right, with confidence] to share [partake, participate] in the harvest [the fruit of their toil]. word study 11 If we have sown [planted spiritual seeds, scattered divine truth] spiritual [non-carnal, supernatural] seed among you, is it too much [a great thing, excessive] for us to reap [harvest, gather] a material [carnal, fleshly] harvest from you? word study 12 If others [partakers of this power, having authority] have this right [privilege, freedom to act] to your support [financial aid, provision], shouldn’t we [as apostles, messengers of Christ] have it all the more [to a greater extent, with greater reason]? But we did not exercise [use, employ] this right [authority, power]. Instead, we put up with [endure, patiently bear] anything [all things, every circumstance] rather than hinder [cause no hindrance, obstruct] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]. word study 13 Do you not know [are you unaware, have you not perceived] that those who work [minister, labor] in the temple [sacred place, house of God] eat [consume, partake] of its food [offerings, sacrifices], and those who serve [wait, attend] at the altar [table for sacrifice, place of worship] partake [share, participate] of its offerings [sacrifices, gifts to God]? word study 14 In the same way [thus, in this manner], the Lord [God, the supreme authority] has prescribed [ordained, directed] that those who preach [proclaim, announce] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] should receive [get, obtain] their living [support, necessities] from the gospel [good news, message of Christ]. word study 15 But I have not used [employed, taken advantage of] any of these rights [privileges, freedoms]. And I am not writing [recording, composing] this to suggest [propose, recommend] that something be done [accomplished, provided] for me [on my behalf, in my favor]. Indeed, I would rather [prefer, choose] die [stop living, pass away] than let [allow, permit] anyone [any person, somebody] nullify [make void, empty] my boast [pride, glorying]. word study 16 Yet when I preach [share, proclaim] the gospel [good news of salvation], I have no reason [nothing] to boast [glory, pride], because I am obligated [compelled, under necessity] to preach [proclaim, speak good news]. Woe [alas, sorrow] to me if I do not [fail to] preach [share, announce] the gospel [message of Christ]! word study 17 If my preaching [voluntary proclamation, willing declaration] is voluntary [done by choice, of my own free will], I have a reward [wage, payment for service]. But if it is not voluntary [against my will, involuntary], I am still entrusted [given a stewardship, commissioned] with a responsibility [management, administration of the gospel]. word study 18 What then [at that point, in that case] is my reward [wage, payment for service]? That in preaching [proclaiming, announcing] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] I may offer [present, give] it free of charge [without cost, gratuitously], and so not use up [misuse, abuse] my rights [authority, privilege] in preaching [sharing, proclaiming] it. word study 19 Though I am [completely] free [from all obligations, unrestricted] of obligation to anyone, I make [bring, enslave] myself [as my own act] a slave [servant, bondman] to everyone [all people], to win [gain, save] as many [a large number] as possible [that I might gain the more]. word study 20 To the Jews [those of Jewish descent, Israelites] I became like a Jew [as one who observes Jewish customs], to win [gain, save] the Jews. To those under the law [subject to Moses’ law, under obligation] I became like one under the law [as if I were still under its authority] (though I myself am not under the law [no longer bound by its rules]), to win [to save, to gain] those under the law [those who still follow its precepts]. word study 21 To those [without the law, lawless] without the law I became like one [as if I were lawless, without law] without the law (though I am not outside [apart from] the law of God [the divine commandments] but am [under, subject to] under the law of Christ [the law of love, the teachings of Jesus]), to win [gain, save] those [without the law, unbelievers] without the law [those not knowing God’s commandments]. word study 22 To the weak [feeble, lacking strength] I became weak [as one who is feeble], to win [gain, save] the weak [those who are infirm]. I have become [been made] all things [everything, every kind of person] to all people [men, humanity] so that by all possible means [every possible way, surely] I might save [deliver, rescue] some [one, certain individuals]. word study 23 I do [for the sake of, because of] all this [everything, these things] for the sake of the gospel [good news, message of salvation], so that I may [in order to, to the end that I] share [be a joint partaker, have fellowship] in its [the gospel’s, God’s] blessings [benefits, gifts]. word study 24 Do you not know [are you not aware, have you not perceived] that in a race [a competitive running event, a test of endurance] all the runners [those who participate, athletes] run [exert themselves, strive], but only one [a single individual, the winner] receives [is given, obtains] the prize [a reward, a trophy]? Run [exert yourselves, strive] in such a way [with diligence, with purpose] as to take [grasp, seize] the prize [the reward, the crown]. word study 25 Everyone [all people, every individual] who competes [strives, struggles] in the games [public contests, athletic events] trains [exercises, disciplines] with strict [rigorous, self-controlled] discipline [self-control, temperance]. They do it [strive, endeavor] for a crown [wreath, symbol of honor] that is [temporary, fleeting] perishable [corruptible, transitory], but we do it [strive, labor] for a crown [reward, prize] that is [eternal, lasting] imperishable [incorruptible, unfading]. word study 26 Therefore [for this reason, then] I do not run [as a sprinter, hastily] aimlessly [without a goal, uncertainly]; I do not fight [box, engage in spiritual combat] like I am beating [striking, flailing] the air [thin air, nothingness]. word study 27 No, I [severely treat, buffet] discipline my body [the whole physical person] and make it my slave [bring into bondage, enslave], so that after I have [proclaimed] preached to others [different ones, another], I myself will not be [rejected, disapproved, a castaway] disqualified [failing, worthless]. word study