1 Corinthians 9:13

1 Corinthians 9:13 in other versions

• King James Version (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?
• New International Version (NIV)Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:13

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. 12You 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. Think 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. 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.

1 Corinthians 9:13 word by word

Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ τὰ ἱερὰ ἐργαζόμενοι τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐσθίουσιν; οἱ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ παρεδρεύοντες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ συμμερίζονται;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Do yeεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• they which ministerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• they which ministerἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• aboutἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• holy thingsἱερόςhieros · sacredG2413
• liveἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• of the templeἱερόνhieron · templeG2411
• and they which waitπροσεδρεύωprosedreuō · to sit near/serveG4332
• at the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• are partakersσυμμερίζωsummerizomai · to shareG4829

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:13

• 1 Corinthians 10:18Think about Israel's people. They eat part of the animals that the priests offer on the altar as a sacrifice. This shows that they share together in the sacrifice.
• Leviticus 6:16The priests will make into bread the flour that he did not burn. They must not use yeast to make the bread. They must eat the bread in a holy place, in the yard outside the Tent of Meeting.
• Leviticus 7:6Aaron's sons can eat the meat that is not burnt. They must eat it in a holy place because it is most holy.
• Numbers 5:9All the special gifts from the Israelites to God are for the priest.
• Numbers 18:8The Lord said to Aaron, ‘I give you authority over the things that people offer to me. As priests, part of the gifts that people bring will belong to you and your sons. This rule will always be true for you and your descendants.
• Deuteronomy 10:9That is why the Levites did not receive any land for themselves, as the other tribes did. The Lord himself would give them everything that they needed, as he had promised.)
• Deuteronomy 18:1The priests and the whole tribe of Levi will have no land for themselves, as the other Israelite tribes do. Instead, they may eat the meat from the sacrifices that belong to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 2:28I chose your ancestor, Aaron, out of all the tribes of Israel. I chose him and his descendants to be my priests. I chose them to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense and to wear the special ephod. I also gave them authority to eat part of the sacrifices and burnt offerings that the Israelites offered to me.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13They which minister about holy things - All the officers about the temple, whether priests, Levites, Nethinim, etc., had a right to their support while employed in its service. The priests partook of the sacrifices; the others had their maintenance from tithes, first fruits, and offerings made to the temple; for it was not lawful for them to live on the sacrifices. Hence the apostle makes the distinction between those who minister about holy things and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Do ye not know … - In this verse Paul illustrates the doctrine that the ministers of religion were, entitled to a support from the fact that those who were appointed to offer sacrifice receive a maintenance in their work. They which minister about holy things - Probably the “Levites.” Their office was to render assistance to the priests, to keep guard around the tabernacle, and subsequently around the temple. It was also their duty to see that the temple…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Paul might be referring to Levites and priests at God’s temple in Jerusalem (see Deuteronomy 18:1–4; compare Leviticus 6:16–17, 26; Numbers 18:8–32), but pagan priests in temples around Corinth likely did the same.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. minister about holy things--the Jewish priests and Levites. The Greek especially applies to the former, the priests offering sacrifices. partakers with the altar--a part of the victims going to the service of the altar, and the rest being shared by the priests (Le 7:6; Nu 18:6, &c.; De 18:1, &c.).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:13

• Evil
• Minister, Christian
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery
• Plow
• Tithe
• Wait
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Mystery
• Paul, the Apostle
• Scribes

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