1CO 9:1-18

The Rights of an Apostle

1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my work in the Lord — in the Lord? [9:2] If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least to you I am — for the seal of my apostleship you yourselves are in the Lord. [9:3] My defense to those who are examining me is this: [9:4] Do we certainly not have the right to eat and to drink? [9:5] Do we certainly not have the right to take about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? [9:6] Or is it only I myself and Barnabas who do not have the right to work — not to work? [9:7] Who serves as a soldier at his own pay at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not partake of the milk of the flock? [9:8] Do I speak these things according to human convention? Or does the law not also say these things? [9:9] For in the law of Moses it has been written: 'You will not muzzle an ox treading out grain.' Surely it is not for the oxen that God is concerned? [9:10] Or is He speaking entirely because of us? For because of us it was written, that the one plowing ought to plow in hope, and the one threshing in hope of partaking. [9:11] If we ourselves sowed spiritual things among you, is it a great thing if we ourselves will reap material things from you? [9:12] If others partake of the authority over you, surely we ourselves do so more? But we did not use this right; instead we bear all things, so that we may not place any hindrance to the good news of Christ. [9:13] Do you not know that those working the sacred things eat from the temple? Those attending at the altar share with the altar? [9:14] So also the Lord ordered those proclaiming the good news to live from the good news. [9:15] But I have used none of these things. And I did not write these things so that it may be done thus for me — for it would be better for me to die than — no one will make my boast empty. [9:16] For if I proclaim the good news, it is no boast for me, for necessity is laid upon me — for woe to me if I do not proclaim the good news! [9:17] For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. [9:18] What then is my reward? That when I proclaim the good news, I may offer the good news without charge, so as not to exploit my right in the good news.

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Greco-Roman society, the concept of (authority) was deeply tied to social status and role. Apostles, like Paul, operated within a patronage system where their authority was often questioned if they did not conform to expected norms, such as accepting financial support. Paul’s defense of his apostolic rights reflects this tension. He asserts his to receive material support (, a soldier’s wage) but chooses not to exercise it, emphasizing his voluntary labor. This stance would have been countercultural, as Roman society valued reciprocity and honor derived from patronage. Paul’s refusal to accept support could have been seen as undermining his status, yet he frames it as a strategic choice to avoid hindering the gospel. His mention of taking a sister-wife aligns with the practice of other apostles, highlighting the communal expectations of itinerant preachers. Paul’s argument hinges on his identity as an apostle , validated by his encounter with Christ and his work among the Corinthians, who are the 'seal' of his apostleship.

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How other translations render this

1CO 9:1

KJV: 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?
BSB: Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?
Koinōnos: Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my work in the Lord — in the Lord?

1CO 9:2

KJV: 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.
BSB: Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Koinōnos: If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least to you I am — for the seal of my apostleship you yourselves are in the Lord.

1CO 9:3

KJV: Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
BSB: This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:
Koinōnos: My defense to those who are examining me is this:

1CO 9:4

KJV: Have we not power to eat and to drink?
BSB: Have we no right to food and to drink?
Koinōnos: Do we certainly not have the right to eat and to drink?

1CO 9:5

KJV: 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?
BSB: Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lordʼs brothers and Cephas?
Koinōnos: Do we certainly not have the right to take about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

1CO 9:6

KJV: Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
BSB: Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
Koinōnos: Or is it only I myself and Barnabas who do not have the right to work — not to work?

1CO 9:7

KJV: 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?
BSB: Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?
Koinōnos: Who serves as a soldier at his own pay at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not partake of the milk of the flock?

1CO 9:8

KJV: Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
BSB: Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesnʼt the Law say the same thing?
Koinōnos: Do I speak these things according to human convention? Or does the law not also say these things?

1CO 9:9

KJV: 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?
BSB: For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
Koinōnos: For in the law of Moses it has been written: 'You will not muzzle an ox treading out grain.' Surely it is not for the oxen that God is concerned?

1CO 9:10

KJV: 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.
BSB: Isnʼt He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.
Koinōnos: Or is He speaking entirely because of us? For because of us it was written, that the one plowing ought to plow in hope, and the one threshing in hope of partaking.

1CO 9:11

KJV: If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
BSB: If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?
Koinōnos: If we ourselves sowed spiritual things among you, is it a great thing if we ourselves will reap material things from you?

1CO 9:12

KJV: 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.
BSB: If others have this right to your support, shouldnʼt we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
Koinōnos: If others partake of the authority over you, surely we ourselves do so more? But we did not use this right; instead we bear all things, so that we may not place any hindrance to the good news of Christ.

1CO 9:13

KJV: 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?
BSB: Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
Koinōnos: Do you not know that those working the sacred things eat from the temple? Those attending at the altar share with the altar?

1CO 9:14

KJV: Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
BSB: In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
Koinōnos: So also the Lord ordered those proclaiming the good news to live from the good news.

1CO 9:15

KJV: 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.
BSB: But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast.
Koinōnos: But I have used none of these things. And I did not write these things so that it may be done thus for me — for it would be better for me to die than — no one will make my boast empty.

1CO 9:16

KJV: 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!
BSB: Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Koinōnos: For if I proclaim the good news, it is no boast for me, for necessity is laid upon me — for woe to me if I do not proclaim the good news!

1CO 9:17

KJV: 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.
BSB: If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.
Koinōnos: For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

1CO 9:18

KJV: 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.
BSB: What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.
Koinōnos: What then is my reward? That when I proclaim the good news, I may offer the good news without charge, so as not to exploit my right in the good news.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1CO 9:1

free?:The word translated 'free' here refers to someone who is not enslaved, but rather has the liberty and right to act according to their own will, often implying a privileged status.

1CO 9:4

[the] right:The term used here for '[the] right' signifies not just a privilege, but an inherent authority or power to act, often granted by law or position.

1CO 9:7

expense:The word translated 'expense' originally referred to a soldier's pay or rations, highlighting a regular, expected compensation for service, not just a general cost.

1CO 9:12

we bear:The word translated 'we bear' carries the sense of enduring or patiently putting up with something, often implying a protective covering or holding up under pressure.