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1 Corinthians 9:16-27
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
New King James Version
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for (A)necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, (B)I have a reward; but if against my will, (C)I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What is my reward then? That (D)when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel [a]of Christ without charge, that I (E)may not abuse my authority in the gospel.
Serving All Men
19 For though I am (F)free from all men, (G)I have made myself a servant to all, (H)that I might win the more; 20 and (I)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the [b]law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 (J)to (K)those who are without law, as without law (L)(not being without [c]law toward God, but under [d]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 (M)to the weak I became [e]as weak, that I might win the weak. (N)I have become all things to all men, (O)that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Striving for a Crown
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? (P)Run in such a way that you may [f]obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize [g]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for (Q)an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: (R)not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 (S)But I discipline my body and (T)bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become (U)disqualified.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 9:18 NU omits of Christ
- 1 Corinthians 9:20 NU adds though not being myself under the law
- 1 Corinthians 9:21 NU God’s law
- 1 Corinthians 9:21 NU Christ’s law
- 1 Corinthians 9:22 NU omits as
- 1 Corinthians 9:24 win
- 1 Corinthians 9:25 exercises self-control
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
New International Version
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
New International Version
16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.(A) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(B) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(C) 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(D) and so not make full use of my rights(E) as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free(F) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(G) to win as many as possible.(H) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(I) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(J) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(K) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(L) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(M) I have become all things to all people(N) so that by all possible means I might save some.(O) 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?(P) Run(Q) 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(R) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(S) 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;(T) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.(U) 27 No, I strike a blow to my body(V) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(W)
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
King James Version
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
King James Version
16 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!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 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.
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.