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Joshua 18-20
New American Standard Bible

Rest of the Land Divided

18 Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled at (A)Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there; and the land was subdued before them.

2 But there remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes who had not divided their inheritance. 3 So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “(B)How long will you [a]put off entering to take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4 Provide for yourselves three men from [b]each tribe so that I may send them, and that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it according to their inheritance; then they shall [c]return to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven portions; (C)Judah shall stay in its territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall stay in their territory on the north. 6 And you shall write a description of the land in seven divisions, and bring the description here to me. (D)Then I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. 7 For (E)the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the Lord is [d]their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”

8 Then the men arose and went, and Joshua commanded those who went to write a description of the land, saying, “Go and walk through the land and write a description of it, and return to me; then I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in (F)Shiloh.” 9 So the men went and passed through the land, and wrote a description of it by cities in seven divisions in a book; and they came to Joshua at the camp at Shiloh. 10 (G)Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land for the sons of Israel according to their divisions.

The Territory of Benjamin

11 Now the lot of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot [e]lay between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph. 12 (H)Their border on the north side was from the Jordan, then the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward, and [f]it ended at the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13 Then from there the border continued to (I)Luz, to the side of Luz (that is, Bethel) southward; and the border went down to Ataroth-addar, near the hill which lies on the south of (J)lower Beth-horon. 14 And the border changed direction from there and turned around on the west side southward, from the hill which lies opposite Beth-horon southward; and [g]it ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the west side. 15 Then the (K)south side was from the edge of Kiriath-jearim, and the border went westward and went to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah. 16 Then the border went down to the edge of the hill which is [h]in the (L)Valley of Ben-hinnom, which is in the Valley of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the Valley of Hinnom, to the slope of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En-rogel. 17 Then it turned northward and went to En-shemesh, and went to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, and it went down to the (M)stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 And it continued to the side in front of the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah. 19 Then the border continued to the side of Beth-hoglah northward; and the [i]border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern border. 20 Moreover, the Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families, and according to its borders all around.

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, and Emek-keziz, 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, and Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, and Ophrah, 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and (N)Geba; twelve cities with their villages. 25 Gibeon, Ramah, and Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, and Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah, 28 (O)Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the (P)sons of Benjamin according to their families.

Territory of Simeon

19 Then the second lot went to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. 2 So they had in their inheritance Beersheba or [j]Sheba and Moladah, 3 Hazar-shual, Balah, and Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, and Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, 6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages; 7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages; 8 and all the villages which were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the [k]Negev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. 9 The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, because the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of [l]Judah’s inheritance.

Territory of Zebulun

10 Now the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun according to their families. And the territory of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11 Then their border went up to the west and to Maralah, and it reached Dabbesheth and reached to the [m]brook that is opposite Jokneam. 12 Then it turned from Sarid to the east toward the sunrise as far as the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it proceeded to Daberath and [n]up to Japhia. 13 From there it continued eastward toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and it proceeded to Rimmon [o]which stretches to Neah. 14 Then the border circled around it on the north to Hannathon, and [p]it ended at the Valley of Iphtahel. 15 Included also were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages. 16 This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Issachar

17 The fourth lot went to Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families. 18 Their territory was to Jezreel and included Chesulloth, (Q)Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, and Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, and Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The border reached to (R)Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and [q]their border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Territory of Asher

24 Now the fifth lot went to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. 25 Their territory was Helkath, Hali, Beten, and Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel on the west and Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned toward the [r]east to Beth-dagon and reached Zebulun, and to the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it proceeded on [s]north to (S)Cabul, 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Great (T)Sidon. 29 The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and [t]it ended at the sea by the region of (U)Achzib. 30 Included also were Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Naphtali

32 The sixth lot went to the sons of Naphtali; to the sons of Naphtali according to their families. 33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and [u]it ended at the Jordan. 34 Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded from there to Hukkok; and it reached Zebulun on the south and reached Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan toward the [v]east. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, (V)Hammath, Rakkath, and (W)Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, and En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Territory of Dan

40 The seventh lot went to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. 41 The territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, and Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, and Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon, 46 Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the territory opposite [w]Joppa. 47 The territory of the (X)sons of Dan proceeded [x]beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and took possession of it and [y]settled in it; and they named [z](Y)Leshem Dan after the name of their father Dan. 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

49 When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 In accordance with the [aa]command of the Lord, they gave him the city for which he asked, (Z)Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and [ab]settled in it.

51 (AA)These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Six Cities of Refuge

20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘[ac]Designate (AB)the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you [ad]through Moses, 3 so that one who commits manslaughter by [ae]killing a person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 Then he shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the (AC)gate of the city, and state his case in the [af]presence of the elders of that city; and they shall [ag]receive him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may remain among them. 5 Now (AD)if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they are not to hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, since he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him previously. 6 And he shall remain in that city (AE)until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then [ah]he shall [ai]return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

7 So they [aj]set apart (AF)Kedesh in [ak]Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in (AG)the hill country of Judah. 8 And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they [al]designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 (AH)These were the designated cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who resides among them, so that whoever [am]kills a person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 18:3 Or show yourselves lax in
  2. Joshua 18:4 Lit the
  3. Joshua 18:4 Lit come
  4. Joshua 18:7 Lit his
  5. Joshua 18:11 Lit went out
  6. Joshua 18:12 Lit the goings out of it were
  7. Joshua 18:14 Lit the goings out of it were
  8. Joshua 18:16 Lit on the face of
  9. Joshua 18:19 Lit goings out of the border were
  10. Joshua 19:2 In Josh 15:26, Shema
  11. Joshua 19:8 I.e., South country
  12. Joshua 19:9 Lit their
  13. Joshua 19:11 Or wadi
  14. Joshua 19:12 Lit went up
  15. Joshua 19:13 Or and is marked off
  16. Joshua 19:14 Lit the goings out of it were
  17. Joshua 19:22 Lit the goings out of their border were
  18. Joshua 19:27 Lit sunrise
  19. Joshua 19:27 Lit from the left hand
  20. Joshua 19:29 Lit the goings out of it were
  21. Joshua 19:33 Lit the goings out of it were
  22. Joshua 19:34 Lit sunrise
  23. Joshua 19:46 Heb Japho
  24. Joshua 19:47 Lit from
  25. Joshua 19:47 Lit dwelt
  26. Joshua 19:47 In Judg 18:7 Laish
  27. Joshua 19:50 Lit mouth
  28. Joshua 19:50 Lit dwelt
  29. Joshua 20:2 Lit Give for yourselves
  30. Joshua 20:2 Lit by the hand of
  31. Joshua 20:3 Lit striking
  32. Joshua 20:4 Lit ears of
  33. Joshua 20:4 Lit gather
  34. Joshua 20:6 Lit the one who committed manslaughter
  35. Joshua 20:6 Lit return and come
  36. Joshua 20:7 Lit sanctified
  37. Joshua 20:7 Heb Galil
  38. Joshua 20:8 Lit gave
  39. Joshua 20:9 Lit strikes
Listen to Joshua 18-20, 1 Corinthians 9
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Joshua 18-20
New International Version

Division of the Rest of the Land

18 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh(A) and set up the tent of meeting(B) there. The country was brought under their control, 2 but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? 4 Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it,(C) according to the inheritance of each.(D) Then they will return to me. 5 You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south(E) and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.(F) 6 After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots(G) for you in the presence of the Lord our God. 7 The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance.(H) And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.(I)”

8 As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.(J) Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh(K) in the presence of the Lord.” 9 So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. 10 Joshua then cast lots(L) for them in Shiloh in the presence(M) of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.(N)

Allotment for Benjamin

11 The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:

12 On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness(O) of Beth Aven.(P) 13 From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz(Q) (that is, Bethel(R)) and went down to Ataroth Addar(S) on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.

14 From the hill facing Beth Horon(T) on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim),(U) a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.

15 The southern side began at the outskirts of Kiriath Jearim on the west, and the boundary came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.(V) 16 The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim.(W) It continued down the Hinnom Valley(X) along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.(Y) 17 It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth,(Z) which faces the Pass of Adummim,(AA) and ran down to the Stone of Bohan(AB) son of Reuben. 18 It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah[a](AC) and on down into the Arabah.(AD) 19 It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah(AE) and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea,(AF) at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.

20 The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side.

These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.(AG)

21 The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns:

Jericho, Beth Hoglah,(AH) Emek Keziz, 22 Beth Arabah,(AI) Zemaraim,(AJ) Bethel,(AK) 23 Avvim,(AL) Parah, Ophrah,(AM) 24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba(AN)—twelve towns and their villages.

25 Gibeon,(AO) Ramah,(AP) Beeroth,(AQ) 26 Mizpah,(AR) Kephirah,(AS) Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah,(AT) Haeleph, the Jebusite city(AU) (that is, Jerusalem(AV)), Gibeah(AW) and Kiriath—fourteen towns and their villages.(AX)

This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.(AY)

Allotment for Simeon(AZ)

19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.(BA) 2 It included:

Beersheba(BB) (or Sheba),[b] Moladah,(BC) 3 Hazar Shual,(BD) Balah, Ezem,(BE) 4 Eltolad,(BF) Bethul, Hormah,(BG) 5 Ziklag,(BH) Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;

7 Ain, Rimmon,(BI) Ether and Ashan(BJ)—four towns and their villages— 8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).(BK)

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,(BL) because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.(BM)

Allotment for Zebulun

10 The third lot came up for Zebulun(BN) according to its clans:

The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.(BO) 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.(BP) 12 It turned east from Sarid(BQ) toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath(BR) and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher(BS) and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon(BT) and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.(BU) 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal,(BV) Shimron,(BW) Idalah and Bethlehem.(BX) There were twelve towns and their villages.

16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,(BY) according to its clans.(BZ)

Allotment for Issachar

17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar(CA) according to its clans. 18 Their territory included:

Jezreel,(CB) Kesulloth, Shunem,(CC) 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion,(CD) Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim,(CE) En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 The boundary touched Tabor,(CF) Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh,(CG) and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.

23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,(CH) according to its clans.(CI)

Allotment for Asher

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher(CJ) according to its clans. 25 Their territory included:

Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,(CK) 26 Allammelek, Amad and Mishal.(CL) On the west the boundary touched Carmel(CM) and Shihor Libnath. 27 It then turned east toward Beth Dagon,(CN) touched Zebulun(CO) and the Valley of Iphtah El,(CP) and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul(CQ) on the left. 28 It went to Abdon,[c](CR) Rehob,(CS) Hammon(CT) and Kanah,(CU) as far as Greater Sidon.(CV) 29 The boundary then turned back toward Ramah(CW) and went to the fortified city of Tyre,(CX) turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea(CY) in the region of Akzib,(CZ) 30 Ummah, Aphek(DA) and Rehob.(DB) There were twenty-two towns and their villages.

31 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,(DC) according to its clans.

Allotment for Naphtali

32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:

33 Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim,(DD) passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel(DE) to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. 34 The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok.(DF) It touched Zebulun(DG) on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan[d] on the east. 35 The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath,(DH) Rakkath, Kinnereth,(DI) 36 Adamah, Ramah,(DJ) Hazor,(DK) 37 Kedesh,(DL) Edrei,(DM) En Hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath(DN) and Beth Shemesh.(DO) There were nineteen towns and their villages.

39 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.(DP)

Allotment for Dan

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. 41 The territory of their inheritance included:

Zorah, Eshtaol,(DQ) Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon,(DR) Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah,(DS) Ekron,(DT) 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon,(DU) Baalath,(DV) 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,(DW) 46 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.(DX)

47 (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,(DY) they went up and attacked Leshem(DZ), took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named(EA) it Dan after their ancestor.)(EB)

48 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,(EC) according to its clans.

Allotment for Joshua

49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah[e](ED) in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing(EE) the land.(EF)

Cities of Refuge(EG)

20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally(EH) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.(EI) 4 When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate(EJ) and state their case before the elders(EK) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5 If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6 They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly(EL) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

7 So they set apart Kedesh(EM) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem(EN) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba(EO) (that is, Hebron(EP)) in the hill country of Judah.(EQ) 8 East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer(ER) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead(ES) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan(ET) in the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally(EU) could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.(EV)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 18:18 Septuagint; Hebrew slope facing the Arabah
  2. Joshua 19:2 Or Beersheba, Sheba; 1 Chron. 4:28 does not have Sheba.
  3. Joshua 19:28 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also 21:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Ebron
  4. Joshua 19:34 Septuagint; Hebrew west, and Judah, the Jordan,
  5. Joshua 19:50 Also known as Timnath Heres (see Judges 2:9)
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1 Corinthians 9
New American Standard Bible

Paul’s Use of Freedom

9 Am I not (A)free? Am I not an (B)apostle? Have I not (C)seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not (D)my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the (E)seal of my (F)apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 [a](G)Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 5 [b](H)Do we not have a right to take along a [c]believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the (I)brothers of the Lord, and [d](J)Cephas? 6 Or do only [e](K)Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from [f]working? 7 Who at any time serves (L)as a soldier at his own expense? Who (M)plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not [g]consume some of the milk of the flock?

8 I am not just asserting these things (N)according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “(O)You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” God is not concerned about (P)oxen, is He? 10 Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written (Q)for our sake, because (R)the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops. 11 (S)If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we (T)did not use this right, but we endure all things (U)so that we will cause no hindrance to the (V)gospel of Christ. 13 (W)Do you not know that those who (X)perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share [h]from the altar? 14 So also (Y)the Lord directed those who proclaim the (Z)gospel to (AA)get their living from the gospel.

15 But I have (AB)used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make (AC)my boast an empty one! 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for (AD)I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach (AE)the gospel. 17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a (AF)reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a (AG)commission nonetheless. 18 What, then, is my (AH)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel (AI)without charge, so as (AJ)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am (AK)free from all people, I have made myself (AL)a slave to all, so that I may (AM)gain more. 20 (AN)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though (AO)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are (AP)without the Law, I became (AQ)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but (AR)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. 22 To the (AS)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become (AT)all things to all people, (AU)so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

24 (AV)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives (AW)the prize? (AX)Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who (AY)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable (AZ)wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I (BA)run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as [i]to avoid (BB)hitting air; 27 but I strictly discipline (BC)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:4 Lit It is not that we have no right to eat and drink, is it?
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Lit It is not that we have no right to take along...Cephas, is it?
  3. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Lit sister, as a wife
  4. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Peter’s Aramaic name
  5. 1 Corinthians 9:6 Lit I and Barnabas
  6. 1 Corinthians 9:6 I.e., to support themselves
  7. 1 Corinthians 9:7 Lit eat from
  8. 1 Corinthians 9:13 Lit with
  9. 1 Corinthians 9:26 Lit not hitting
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1 Corinthians 9
New International Version

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free?(A) Am I not an apostle?(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?(D) 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal(E) of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink?(F) 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife(G) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers(H) and Cephas[a]?(I) 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas(J) who lack the right to not work for a living?

7 Who serves as a soldier(K) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard(L) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[b](M) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?(N) 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,(O) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.(P) 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?(Q) 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.(R) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder(S) the gospel of Christ.

13 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?(T) 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.(U)

15 But I have not used any of these rights.(V) And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.(W) 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.(X) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(Y) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(Z) 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(AA) and so not make full use of my rights(AB) as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free(AC) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(AD) to win as many as possible.(AE) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(AF) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(AG) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(AH) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(AI) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(AJ) I have become all things to all people(AK) so that by all possible means I might save some.(AL) 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?(AM) Run(AN) in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown(AO) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(AP) 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;(AQ) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.(AR) 27 No, I strike a blow to my body(AS) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:5 That is, Peter
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:9 Deut. 25:4
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1 Corinthians 8
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