Amplified Bible
1 Corinthians 9:15
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 boast [in this matter of financial support].
1 Corinthians 9:15 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.
Context of 1 Corinthians 9:15
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? 14So also [on the same principle] the Lord directed those who preach the gospel to get their living from the gospel. But 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 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 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.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 91 Corinthians 9:15 word by word
ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ κέχρημαι οὐδενὶ τούτων· οὐκ ἔγραψα δὲ ταῦτα ἵνα οὕτως γένηται ἐν ἐμοί· καλὸν γάρ μοι μᾶλλον ἀποθανεῖν ἢ τὸ καύχημά μου οὐδεὶς κενώσει.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- have usedχράωchraomai · to useG5530
- noneοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- of these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- neitherοὐou · noG3756
- have I writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- it should beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- untoἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- betterκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- ·μᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
- to dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- thanἤē · orG2228
- any manτιςtis · oneG5100
- should makeκενόωkenoō · to emptyG2758
- gloryingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- gloryingκαύχημαkauchēma · prideG2745
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:15
- 1 Corinthians 9:12If 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.
- 1 Corinthians 4:12We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure.
- Acts 8:3But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
- Acts 20:34You know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs [working in manual labor] and to [those of] the people who were with me.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9For you remember, believers, our labor and hardship. We worked night and day [practicing our trade] in order not to be a [financial] burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day [to pay our own way] so that we would not be a financial burden on any of you [for our support];
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and ran short [financially], I did not burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by the brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (the church at Philippi). So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except [for the fact] that I did not burden you [with my financial support]? Forgive me [for doing you] this injustice!
- Matthew 18:6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
- Acts 20:24But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].
- Philippians 1:20It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Neither have I written, etc. - Though I might plead the authority of God in the law, of Christ in the Gospel, the common consent of our own doctors, and the usages of civil society, yet I have not availed myself of my privileges; nor do I now write with the intention to lay in my claims.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15But I have used none of these things - I have not urged and enforced this right. I have chosen to support myself by the labor of my own hands. This had been objected to him as a reason why he could not be an apostle. He here shows that that was not the reason why he had not; urged this claim; but that it was because in this way he could do most to honor the gospel and save the souls of people; compare Acts 20:33; 2 Thessalonians 3:8. The sense is, “Though…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 It is the glory of a minister to deny himself, that he may serve Christ and save souls. But when a minister gives up his right for the sake of the gospel, he does more than his charge and office demands. By preaching the gospel, freely, the apostle showed that he acted from principles of zeal and love, and thus enjoyed much comfort and hope in his soul. And though he looked on the ceremonial law as a yoke taken off by Christ, yet he submitted…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Paul had never insisted on his rights, and he was not trying to do so now. Instead, he showed the importance of giving up one's rights to help others (compare 8:13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Paul's special gift of continency, which enabled him to abstain from marriage, and his ability to maintain himself without interrupting seriously his ministry, made that expedient to him which is ordinarily inexpedient; namely, that the ministry should not be supported by the people. What to him was a duty, would be the opposite to one, for instance, to whom God had committed a family, without other means of support. I have used none of these…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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