1 Corinthians 9
What Happens in This Chapter
Paul answers people who question whether he is a real apostle. He shows that apostles have a right to be paid for their work, using examples from soldiers, farmers, shepherds, the law of Moses, and temple workers. Then he explains why he has never used that right: he wants to tell the good news free of charge, and he fits in with all kinds of people to win some of them. He ends by comparing his life to a runner training hard for a prize.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
1I am free. I am an apostle, one Jesus sent out to tell about him. I saw Jesus our Lord with my own eyes. And you belong to the Lord because of my work.
2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
2Other people may not think I am an apostle. But you surely know I am. You belong to the Lord. You are the proof that God sent me.
3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
3Some people look me over and ask hard questions. Here is my answer to them.
4Have we not power to eat and to drink?
4Don't we have the right to be given food and drink?
5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
5The other apostles bring a believing wife along on their trips. So do the brothers of Jesus, and so does Cephas. Don't we have that same right?
Cephas is another name for Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers.
6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
6Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who must work to earn our food?
7Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
7No soldier pays for his own food and gear. A man who plants grapes gets to eat some of them. A man who keeps sheep gets to drink their milk.
8Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
8I am not just saying what people think. God's law says the very same thing.
9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
9The law of Moses says, "Do not tie shut the mouth of an ox while it walks on the grain." Is God only thinking about oxen here?
"Corn" in the KJV means grain of any kind, like wheat or barley, not corn on the cob. Oxen walked on cut grain to knock the seeds loose.
10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
10He said it for us too. The man who plows hopes for a share of the crop. The man who beats out the grain hopes for a share as well.
11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
11We planted God's good news in your hearts. Is it too much if you share your food and money with us?
12If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
12Other teachers get help from you. We deserve it even more. But we never asked for it. We put up with anything so nothing blocks the good news about Christ.
13Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
13The men who work in the temple eat food from the temple. The men who serve at the altar get part of the gifts brought there.
14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
14In the same way, the Lord decided this. People who tell the good news should live on what that work brings.
15But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
15But I have never used any of these rights. I am not writing this to get something now. I would rather die than lose the one thing I am proud of.
16For 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!
16Telling the good news is nothing to brag about. I have to do it. How terrible for me if I stopped telling it!
17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
17If I chose this job freely, I earn a reward. If I did not choose it, God still trusted me with the work.
18What 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.
18So what is my reward? This: I tell the good news for free. I do not use up the rights I have.
19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
19No one owns me. I am free. Still I made myself a servant to everyone. I want to win as many people as I can.
20And 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;
20With Jewish people I lived like a Jew, to win them. With people who keep the law of Moses, I lived like them. I did that to win them too.
21To 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.
21With people who do not have that law, I lived like them, to win them. I still obey God. I follow the law of Christ.
22To 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.
22With weak people I became weak, to win them. I become all things to all people. In any way I can, I want to save some.
23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
23I do all this for the good news. I want to share in its good gifts along with you.
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
24In a race, everyone runs. But only one runner gets the prize. Run the way that wins.
25And 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.
25Everyone who trains for the games gives up many things. They do it for a crown that will fall apart. Ours will last forever.
The winner of a race back then got a crown made of leaves. It dried up and fell apart in a few days.
26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
26So I run straight toward the finish line. I fight for real. I do not just punch at the air.
27But 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.
27I train my body hard and make it obey me. I have told others the good news. I do not want to be put out of the race myself.
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