Amplified Bible
1 Corinthians 9:9
9For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating the grain].” Is it [only] for oxen that God cares?
1 Corinthians 9:9 in other versions
- King James Version (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?
- New International Version (NIV)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?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
Context of 1 Corinthians 9:9
7[Consider this:] Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? 8Do I say these things only from a man’s perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating the grain].” Is it [only] for oxen that God cares? 10Or does He speak entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake: The plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest. 11If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
Read all of 1 Corinthians 91 Corinthians 9:9 word by word
ἐν γὰρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται· οὐ κημώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- of MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
- Thou shaltφιμόωphimoō · to muzzleG5392
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the oxβοῦςbous · oxG1016
- that treadeth out the cornἀλοάωaloaō · to threshG248
- Dothμέλωmelō · to concernG3199
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- ·μήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:9
- Deuteronomy 25:4“You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing [to prevent him from eating any of the grain].
- 1 Timothy 5:18For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating],” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages [he deserves fair compensation].”
- Numbers 22:28And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”
- Deuteronomy 5:14but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock or the stranger who stays inside your [city] gates, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
- Psalms 104:27They all wait for You To give them their food in its appointed season.
- Psalms 145:15The eyes of all look to You [in hopeful expectation], And You give them their food in due time.
- Psalms 147:8Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who provides rain for the earth, Who makes grass grow on the mountains.
- Jonah 4:11Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 [innocent] persons, who do not know the difference between their right and left hand [and are not yet accountable for sin], as well as many [blameless] animals?”
- Matthew 6:26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?
- Luke 12:24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the crop]; they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox - See this largely explained in the note on Deuteronomy 25:4; (note). Doth God take care for oxen? - This question is to be understood thus: Is it likely that God should be solicitous for the comfort of oxen, and be regardless of the welfare of man? In this Divine precept the kindness and providential care of God are very forcibly pointed out. He takes care of oxen; he wills them all that happiness of which their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For it is written - Deuteronomy 25:4. In the law of Moses - See the note at Luke 24:44. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth - To muzzle means, “to bind the mouth; to fasten the mouth to prevent eating or biting” - Webster. This was done either by passing straps around the mouth, or by placing, as is now sometimes done, a small “basket” over the mouth, fastened by straps to the horns of the animal, so as to prevent its eating, but not to impede its breathing…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10These examples support Paul's point that he and other Christian workers had the right to receive support from those they served.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. ox ... treadeth ... corn--(De 25:4). In the East to the present day they do not after reaping carry the sheaves home to barns as we do, but take them to an area under the open air to be threshed by the oxen treading them with their feet, or else drawing a threshing instrument over them (compare Mi 4:13). Doth God ... care for oxen?--rather, "Is it for the oxen that God careth?" Is the animal the ultimate object for whose sake this law was given? No…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:9
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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