1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9:16–19

¹⁶Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. ¹⁸What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

¹⁹Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Corinthians 9:16

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Yet	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
when	Ἐὰν	Ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
I preach the gospel	εὐαγγελίζωμαι	euangelizōmai	Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular	G2097 I bring good news, preach good tidings
I	μοι	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
have	ἔστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
no reason	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
to boast	καύχημα	kauchēma	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G2745 a boasting
because	γάρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
I	μοι	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
am obligated	ἀνάγκη	anankē	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G318 necessity, constraint, compulsion
Woe	οὐαὶ	ouai	Interjection	G3759 woe!, alas!
to me	μοί	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
if	ἐὰν	ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
I do not preach the gospel	εὐαγγελίσωμαι	euangelisōmai	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular	G2097 I bring good news, preach good tidings

1 Corinthians 9:17

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	εἰ	ei	Conjunction	G1487 if
my	πράσσω	prassō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G4238 I do, fare, require
voluntary	ἑκὼν	hekōn	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1635 willing, willingly
I have	ἔχω	echō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2192 I have, hold, possess
a reward	μισθὸν	misthon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3408 wages, reward
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
if	εἰ	ei	Conjunction	G1487 if
not voluntary	ἄκων	akōn	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G210 unwilling
I am	πεπίστευμαι	pepisteumai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular	G4100 I believe, have faith in
responsibility	οἰκονομίαν	oikonomian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3622 stewardship

1 Corinthians 9:18

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What	τίς	tis	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G5101 who, which, what
then	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
is	ἐστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
my	μού	mou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
reward	μισθός	misthos	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3408 wages, reward
That	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
in preaching the gospel	εὐαγγελιζόμενος	euangelizomenos	Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2097 I bring good news, preach good tidings
I may offer	θήσω	thēsō	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G5087 I put, place
free of charge	ἀδάπανον	adapanon	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G77 without expense, free
and so	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
use up	καταχρήσασθαι	katachrēsasthai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle	G2710 I use up
my	μου	mou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
rights	ἐξουσίᾳ	exousia	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G1849 power, authority, weight
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among

1 Corinthians 9:19

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Though	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
I am	ὢν	ōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1510 I am, exist
free of obligation	Ἐλεύθερος	Eleutheros	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1658 free, delivered from obligation
to	ἐκ	ek	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
anyone	πάντων	pantōn	Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
I make myself a slave	ἐδούλωσα	edoulōsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1402 I enslave
to everyone	πᾶσιν	pasin	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
to	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
win	κερδήσω	kerdēsō	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G2770 I gain, win, avoid loss
as many as possible	πλείονας	pleionas	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - Comparative	G4119 more, greater