1 Corinthians 9:12

1 Corinthians 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:12

10No, God wanted to help us too. That is why he gave this rule to Moses for his people. Any farmer who works hard to grow food should get some of the food for himself. He ploughs his fields and he prepares the seeds because he hopes to eat some of the food. 11Our spiritual work among you is like we have planted seeds. In return, you should give to us the food and clothes that we need to live. That is like the harvest that we should receive from our work. You agree to help other people who teach God's message to you. So surely we should receive even more help from you! But Barnabas and I have not used our authority to make you help us like that. Instead, we accept all these difficult things patiently. We want the good news about Christ to go everywhere. We do not want to do anything that might stop it. 13Think about this: The people who work in the temple get their food from that place. The priests who offer sacrifices on the altar receive part of the animals for themselves. 14In the same way, the people who tell God's good news to others should receive what they need to live. They should receive it from the people who hear the good news from them.

1 Corinthians 9:12 word by word

εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ὑμῶν ἐξουσίας μετέχουσιν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ, ἀλλὰ πάντα στέγομεν ἵνα μή τινα ἐγκοπὴν δῶμεν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• othersἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• be partakersμετέχωmetechō · to shareG3348
• powerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• over youσύsu · youG4771
• notοὐou · noG3756
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ratherμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• Neverthelessἀλλάalla · butG235
• we haveχράωchraomai · to useG5530
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• sufferστέγωstegō · to endureG4722
• all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• lestἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• we shouldδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• ·τιςtis · oneG5100
• hinderἐγκοπήegkopē · hindranceG1464
• the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
• of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:12

• 2 Corinthians 11:20You accept people who make you like their slaves. You accept people who cheat you, or take things from you. You accept people who are proud of themselves. Even if someone hits you in your face, you still accept him.
• 1 Corinthians 9:2Other people may not accept me as a true apostle. But you surely must accept me. As a result of my work, you now belong to the Lord. That shows that I am truly his apostle.
• 1 Corinthians 4:14I do not write these things to make you ashamed. You are like my own children that I love. So I want to teach you what is right.
• 1 Corinthians 9:15But I have not used my authority as an apostle to demand these things from you. And I am not writing this letter to demand that you help me now. No! It would be better for me to die than to change the way that I live. I can be proud of that and nobody should stop me.
• Acts 20:31So be very careful! For three years I taught you, in the day and in the night. I warned you to be careful, so that I even cried about it.
• 2 Corinthians 11:7When I told you God's good news, I never asked you to pay me anything. I made myself less important so that you could be more important. I do not think that I was wrong to do that.
• 2 Corinthians 12:13I worked among you in the same way as I did with the other churches. You were never less important to me than they are. The only difference is that I did not ask you to help me with money. So perhaps I should ask you to forgive me for that!
• 1 Thessalonians 2:6We did not want anyone to say that we are great people. We did not want you to do that, or anyone else.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:8We always paid for the food that anyone gave to us. We worked hard all the time, during the day and at night. We did that so that we would not make trouble for any of you.
• 1 Corinthians 4:11Until now, we continue to be hungry and thirsty. Our clothes have become old. Sometimes people hit us for no reason. We do not have our own homes.
• 1 Corinthians 6:7When you accuse each other like that, it shows that you have already failed. It would be better to accept it when other people hurt you. Even if people rob you, it would be better to accept it.
• Genesis 24:56But the servant said, ‘Do not make me stay longer. The Lord has given me what I came here for. Let me leave now so that I can go back to my master.’
• Nehemiah 4:8They met together to decide what they should do. They decided to attack Jerusalem so that there would be trouble.
• Luke 11:52It will be very bad for you teachers of God's Law! You have studied God's message. But you do not then accept it. You have also stopped people who really wanted to know God's message. Then they could not go on to accept it and go into God's kingdom.’
• Romans 15:22That is why, many times, I have not had a chance to visit you.
• 2 Corinthians 11:12Yes, I will continue to work among you in the way that I am already doing. I will not take any pay from you. Then there will be no chance for those other teachers to be proud about themselves. They will not be able to say that they work in the same way that we do.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12If others be partakers of this power - If those who in any matter serve you have a right to a recompense for that service, surely we who have served you in the most essential matters have a right to our support while thus employed in your service. We have not used this power - Though we had this right, we have not availed ourselves of it, but have worked with our hands to bear our own charges, lest any of you should think that we preached the Gospel…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12If others - Other teachers living with you. There can be no doubt that the teachers in Corinth urged this right, and received a support. Be partakers of this power - Of this right to a support and maintenance. Are not we rather - We the apostles; we who have labored for your conversion; who have founded your church; who have been the first, and the most laborious in instructing you, and imparting to you spiritual blessings? Have not we a better claim than…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Paul believed he deserved support from the Corinthians more than other Christian workers because he first shared the good news about Jesus with them. However, he chose not to use this right to avoid criticism (see 9:6, 14–15, 18; compare Acts 18:3; 2 Cor 11:7–9; 12:13–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. others--whether true apostles (1Co 9:5) or false ones (2Co 11:20). we rather--considering our greater labors for you (2Co 11:23). suffer all things--without complaining of it. We desire to conceal (literally, "hold as a water-tight vessel") any distress we suffer from straitened circumstances. The same Greek is in 1Co 13:7. lest we ... hinder ... gospel--not to cause a hindrance to its progress by giving a handle for the imputation of self-seeking, if…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:12

• Evil
• Gospel
• Minister, Christian
• Self-Denial
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery
• Plow
• Wait
• Authority in Religion
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Gospel

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