Font Size
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
New International Version
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
New International Version
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free(A) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(B) to win as many as possible.(C) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(D) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(E) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(F) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(G) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(H) I have become all things to all people(I) so that by all possible means I might save some.(J) 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
19 Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win(A) more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law[a]—to win those under the law.(B) 21 To those who are without that law,(C) like one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.(D) 23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 9:20 Other mss omit though I myself am not under law
- 1 Corinthians 9:23 Lit partner of it
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Contemporary English Version
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Contemporary English Version
19 I am not anyone's slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so I can win as many people as possible. 20 When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews. They are ruled by the Law of Moses, and I am not. But I live by the Law to win them. 21 And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ. 22 When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can. 23 I do all this for the good news, because I want to share in its blessings.
Read full chapter
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
New King James Version
Serving All Men
19 For though I am (A)free from all men, (B)I have made myself a servant to all, (C)that I might win the more; 20 and (D)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the [a]law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 (E)to (F)those who are without law, as without law (G)(not being without [b]law toward God, but under [c]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 (H)to the weak I became [d]as weak, that I might win the weak. (I)I have become all things to all men, (J)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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 9:19-23
Good News Translation
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Good News Translation
19 I am a free man, nobody's slave; but I make myself everybody's slave in order to win as many people as possible. 20 While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them. 21 In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don't obey God's law; I am really under Christ's law. 22 Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.
23 All this I do for the gospel's sake, in order to share in its blessings.
Read full chapter
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.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.