1 Corinthians Chapter 9 in Simple English

Read 1 Corinthians Chapter 9

1Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

2If I am not an apostle to others, I am surely one to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3This is my answer to those who question me.

4Do we not have the right to eat and to drink?

5Do we not have the right to take along a sister, a wife, as the other apostles do, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

6Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have no right to stop working?

7Who ever goes to war and pays his own costs? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who feeds a flock and does not drink the milk of the flock?

8Do I say these things only as a man? Does the law not say the same?

9For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn." Is it oxen that God cares about?

10Or does he say it entirely for our sakes? For our sakes, without doubt, this is written. The one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes in hope should share in what he hoped for.

11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

12If others share this right over you, do we not have it even more? Yet we have not used this right. Instead we put up with everything, so that we do not hinder the gospel of Christ.

13Do you not know that those who serve in holy things live on the things of the temple? And those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar.

14In the same way the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.

15But I have used none of these things. And I have not written this so that it may be done for me. It would be better for me to die than to have anyone take away what I boast of.

16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about. I am under compulsion. Yes, woe is mine if I do not preach the gospel.

17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if against my will, then a trust has been placed in my hands.

18What then is my reward? This: that when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel of Christ free of charge, and not make full use of my right in the gospel.

19For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a servant to all, so that I might win the more.

20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win the Jews. To those under the law, I became as under the law, so that I might win those under the law.

21To those without law, I became as without law (though I am not without law toward God, but under the law to Christ), so that I might win those without law.

22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I might save some.

23And I do this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in it with you.

24Do you not know that all the runners in a race run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.

25Everyone who competes for the prize keeps control of himself in all things. They do it to obtain a crown that will perish, but we for one that will not.

26So I run, but not without a goal. So I fight, but not like a man beating the air.

27Instead I keep my body down and bring it under control. Otherwise, after I have preached to others, I myself might be rejected.

Explanation

1 Corinthians 9

In short

Paul is defending his right as an apostle to receive money and support from the church, but he explains that he chooses not to use this right so that nothing will get in the way of spreading the gospel. He then describes how he adapts himself to different people to win them over, and compares the Christian life to an athlete training hard for a prize.

Context

The church at Corinth has been questioning Paul's authority as an apostle. Some in the community may have been withholding support from him or suggesting he is not a true apostle. Paul responds by defending his apostleship and his choices about money. He is writing to the whole Corinthian church, addressing objections they or others have raised against him.

What the text says

Paul opens with four questions establishing his apostleship (verses 1 to 2): he has seen Jesus, is free, and the Corinthians themselves are proof of his apostolic work.

Verses 3 to 12 argue for his right to material support. Soldiers, vineyard workers, and shepherds are paid for their work; Paul and Barnabas have the same right to food, drink, and a wife's support. Scripture even protects oxen from hunger. If Paul preached spiritual things, he can receive physical things in return. Other apostles use this right, but Paul does not, because he does not want to "hinder the gospel" (verse 12).

Verses 13 to 14 cite temple workers and the Lord's command that gospel preachers should live by the gospel.

Verses 15 to 18 explain Paul's choice: he preaches without charge so no one can claim he is preaching for money. This is his "reward" (verse 18).

Verses 19 to 23 show his method: though "free from all men," he becomes like Jews to Jews, like those under the law to them, like the weak to the weak, adapting himself to "gain the more" and "save some."

Verses 24 to 27 compare this discipline to athletes running races and fighting, disciplining their bodies to win a prize. Paul does the same, keeping his body under control "lest that by any means...I myself should be a castaway" (verse 27).

Takeaways

An apostle has the right to support, but Paul chooses to give up his right to serve the gospel better.
Paul changes how he acts with different people, not his beliefs, to help them hear the gospel.
The Christian life requires discipline like an athlete's training, not just occasional effort.

1 Corinthians 9 - Simple English