1 Corinthians 9:6

1 Corinthians 9:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
• New International Version (NIV)Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:6

4Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? 7What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing?

1 Corinthians 9:6 word by word

ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρναβᾶς οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Orἤē · orG2228
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• onlyμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• BarnabasΒαρνάβαςBarnabas · BarnabasG921
• ·οὐou · noG3756
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• notμήmē · notG3361
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• to forbear workingἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:6

• Acts 4:36For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
• Acts 11:22When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
• Acts 13:1Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul.
• Acts 14:12They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.
• Acts 15:36After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.
• Acts 18:3Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.
• Acts 20:34You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:7For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Or I only and Barnabas - Have we alone of all the apostles no right to be supported by our converts? It appears from this, That the apostles did not generally support themselves by their own labor. That Paul and Barnabas did thus support themselves. Some of the others probably had not a business at which they could conveniently work; but Paul and Barnabas had a trade at which they could conveniently labor wherever they came.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Or I only and Barnabas - Paul and Barnabas had worked together as tent-makers at Corinth; Acts 18:3. From this fact it had been inferred that they “knew” that they had no claim to a support. Power to forbear working - To abstain from labor, and to receive support as others do. The question implies a strong affirmation that they had such power. The sense is, Why should I and Barnabas be regarded as having no right to support? Have we been less faithful…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-27Continuing the argument from 8:1, Paul shares personal examples of giving up his rights to help others (see study note on 1 Corinthians 8:1–11:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Barnabas--long the associate of Paul, and, like him, in the habit of self-denyingly forbearing to claim the maintenance which is a minister's right. So Paul supported himself by tent-making (Ac 18:3; 20:34; 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:8).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:6

• Barnabas
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Barnabas
• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery
• Plow
• Wait
• Apostolic Age
• Authority in Religion
• Church Government
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the

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