New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 9:13
13Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.
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
11Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ. Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 15Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 91 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 the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?
- Leviticus 6:16Aaron and his sons may eat the rest of the flour, but it must be baked without yeast and eaten in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle.
- Leviticus 7:6Any male from a priest’s family may eat the meat. It must be eaten in a sacred place, for it is most holy.
- Numbers 5:9All the sacred offerings that the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.
- Numbers 18:8The Lord gave these further instructions to Aaron: “I myself have put you in charge of all the holy offerings that are brought to me by the people of Israel. I have given all these consecrated offerings to you and your sons as your permanent share.
- Deuteronomy 10:9That is why the Levites have no share of property or possession of land among the other Israelite tribes. The Lord himself is their special possession, as the Lord your God told them.)
- Deuteronomy 18:1“Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will receive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the Lord, for that is their share.
- 1 Samuel 2:28I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests.
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
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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