New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 9:16
16Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!
1 Corinthians 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
- New International Version (NIV)For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
- English Standard Version (ESV)For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
- New King James Version (NKJV)For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
Context of 1 Corinthians 9:16
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. Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! 17If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. 18What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 91 Corinthians 9:16 word by word
ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι, οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα· ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται· οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
- I preach the gospelεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- haveεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- nothingοὐou · noG3756
- to glory ofκαύχημαkauchēma · prideG2745
- necessityἀνάγκηanagkē · necessityG318
- is laidἐπίκειμαιepikeimai · to lay onG1945
- yeaδέde · thenG1161
- woeοὐαίouai · woe!G3759
- notμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:16
- Romans 4:2If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.
- Romans 15:17So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.
- Jeremiah 1:17“Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them.
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, you misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me.
- Amos 3:8The lion has roared— so who isn’t frightened? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— so who can refuse to proclaim his message?
- Amos 7:15But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’
- Acts 4:20We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
- Acts 9:6Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
- Acts 26:16Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.
- Romans 1:14For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.
- Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
- Luke 9:62But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
- Colossians 4:17And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16For though I preach the Gospel - I have cause of glorying that I preach the Gospel free of all charges to you; but I cannot glory in being a preacher of the Gospel, because I am not such either by my own skill or power. I have received both the office, and the grace by which I execute the office, from God. I have not only his authority to preach, but that authority obliges me to preach; and if I did not, I should endanger my salvation: yea, wo is unto me…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For though I preach the gospel - This, with the two following verses, is a very difficult passage, and has been very variously understood by interpreters. The general scope and purpose of the passage is to show what was the ground of his “glorying,” or of his hope of” reward” in preaching the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:15. he had intimated that he had cause of” glorying,” and that that cause was one which he was determined no one should take away. In…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 It is the glory of a minister to deny himself, that he may serve Christ and save souls. But when a minister gives up his right for the sake of the gospel, he does more than his charge and office demands. By preaching the gospel, freely, the apostle showed that he acted from principles of zeal and love, and thus enjoyed much comfort and hope in his soul. And though he looked on the ceremonial law as a yoke taken off by Christ, yet he submitted…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16I am obligated: See Acts 22:14–15; 26:16–18.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. though I preach ... I have nothing to glory of--that is, If I preach the Gospel, and do so not gratuitously, I have no matter for "glorying." For the "necessity" that is laid on me to preach (compare Jr 20:9, and the case of Jonah) does away with ground for "glorying." The sole ground for the latter that I have, is my preaching without charge (1Co 9:18): since there is no necessity laid on me as to the latter, it is my voluntary act for the Gospel's…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:16
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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