1 Corinthians 9:27

1 Corinthians 9:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
• New International Version (NIV)No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:27

25Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. 26So I run—but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box—but not as if I were just shadow boxing. Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others.

1 Corinthians 9:27 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• I keep underὑπωπιάζωhupōpiazō · to wear outG5299
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• bodyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• bringδουλαγωγέωdoulagōgeō · to enslaveG1396
• lest that by any meansμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
• when I have preachedκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• to othersἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• I myselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• should beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a castawayἀδόκιμοςadokimos · failingG96

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:27

• 1 Corinthians 9:25Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent.
• 1 Corinthians 4:11To this moment, we are hungry, thirsty, poorly dressed, roughly treated, and homeless.
• 1 Corinthians 6:12Someone may say, “I’m allowed to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. I’m allowed to do anything, but I won’t allow anything to gain control over my life.
• 1 Corinthians 8:13Therefore, if eating food ⌞offered to false gods⌟ causes other believers to lose their faith, I will never eat that kind of food so that I won’t make other believers lose their faith.
• Romans 8:13If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities of the body, you will live.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God’s servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety,
• 2 Corinthians 11:27Because I’ve had to work so hard, I’ve often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather.
• Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death whatever is worldly in you: your sexual sin, perversion, passion, lust, and greed (which is the same thing as worshiping wealth).
• 2 Timothy 2:22Stay away from lusts which tempt young people. Pursue what has God’s approval. Pursue faith, love, and peace together with those who worship the Lord with a pure heart.
• 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you.
• Romans 6:18Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves of.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal.
• Psalms 50:16But God says to wicked people, “How dare you quote my decrees and mouth my promises!
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants.
• Luke 12:45On the other hand, that servant may think that his master is taking a long time to come home. The servant may begin to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk.
• Luke 13:26Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27But I keep under my body, etc. - This is an allusion, not only to boxers, but also to wrestlers in the same games, as we learn from the word ̔, which signifies to hit in the eyes; and , which signifies to trip, and give the antagonist a fall, and then keep him down when he was down, and having obliged him to acknowledge himself conquered, make him a slave. The apostle considers his body as an enemy with which he must contend; he must mortify it by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27But I keep under my body - ( ̔́ hupōpiazō). This word occurs in the New Testament only here and in Luke 18:5, “Lest by her continual coming she weary‘ me.” The word is derived probably from ̔́ hupōpionthe part of the face “under the eye” (Passow), and means properly, to strike under the eye, either with the fist or the cestus, so as to render the part livid, or as we say, “black and blue”; or as is commonly termed, “to give anyone a black eye.” The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-27Verses 24-27 The apostle compares himself to the racers and combatants in the Isthmian games, well known by the Corinthians. But in the Christian race all may run so as to obtain. There is the greatest encouragement, therefore, to persevere with all our strength, in this course. Those who ran in these games were kept to a spare diet. They used themselves to hardships. They practised the exercises. And those who pursue the interests of their souls, must…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27I myself will not be disqualified: Those disqualified from a sporting event cannot win the prize. To avoid losing the eternal prize, Paul disciplined himself strictly, like an athlete, to stay close to Christ and avoid sin (see 9:25; Hebrews 12:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. keep under--literally, "bruise the face under the eyes," so as to render it black and blue; so, to chastise in the most sensitive part. Compare "mortify the deeds of the body," Ro 8:13; also 1Pe 2:11. It is not ascetic fasts or macerations of the body which are here recommended, but the keeping under of our natural self-seeking, so as, like Paul, to lay ourselves out entirely for the great work. my body--the old man and the remainders of lust in my…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:27

• Affections
• Apostasy
• Appetite
• Captivity
• Continence
• Lasciviousness
• Lust
• Minister, Christian
• Self-Denial
• Stoicism
• Temperance
• War
• Watchfulness
• Wicked (People)
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Castaway
• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery
• Plow
• Reprobate
• Wait
• Body
• Buffet
• Burden

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