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

11If we have planted the spiritual seed that has been of benefit to you, is it too much if we receive part of the harvest from your earthly goods? 12If others have the right to expect this from you, don’t we deserve even more? But we haven’t used our rights. Instead, we would put up with anything in order not to hinder the Good News of Christ in any way. Don’t you realize that those who work at the temple get their food from the temple? Don’t those who help at the altar get a share of what is on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who spread the Good News should earn their living from the Good News. 15I haven’t used any of these rights, and I haven’t written this in order to use them now. I would rather die than have anyone turn my bragging into meaningless words.

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 10:18Look at the people of Israel from a human point of view. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices share what is on the altar?
• Leviticus 6:16Aaron and his sons will eat the rest of it. They will eat unleavened bread in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.
• Leviticus 7:6Any male among the priests may eat it. It will be eaten in a holy place. It is very holy.
• Numbers 5:9“Any contribution over and above the holy offerings that the Israelites bring to the priest will belong to the priest.
• Numbers 18:8The Lord said to Aaron, “I am putting you in charge of all the contributions given to me. I am giving you and your descendants all the holy gifts from the Israelites as your share. These contributions will always be yours.
• Deuteronomy 10:9This is why the tribe of Levi has no land of their own as the other tribes have. The Lord your God is their only possession, as he promised them.
• Deuteronomy 18:1The Levitical priests—in fact, the whole tribe of Levi—will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to the Lord. These sacrifices will be what they receive.
• 1 Samuel 2:28I chose ⌞one of your ancestors⌟ out of all the tribes of Israel to serve as my priest, to sacrifice burnt offerings on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod in my presence. And I gave your ancestors the right to keep portions of the sacrifices that the people of Israel burned on the altar.

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