1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9:16–23

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. ²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. ²¹To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

²³I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

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

1 Corinthians 9:20

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To the	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
Jews	Ἰουδαίοις	Ioudaiois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G2453 Jewish
I became	ἐγενόμην	egenomēn	Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G1096 I come into being, am born
like	ὡς	hōs	Adverb	G5613 as, like as, how, while, so that
a Jew	Ἰουδαῖος	Ioudaios	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2453 Jewish
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
Jews	Ἰουδαίους	Ioudaious	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G2453 Jewish
To those	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
under	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
law	νόμον	nomon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
under	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
law	νόμον	nomon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
am	ὢν	ōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1510 I am, exist
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
under	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
law	νόμον	nomon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
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
those	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
under	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
law	νόμον	nomon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law

1 Corinthians 9:21

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To those	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
without	ἀνόμοις	anomois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G459 lawless, sinful, illegal
without	ἄνομος	anomos	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G459 lawless, sinful, illegal
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
outside	ἄνομος	anomos	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G459 lawless, sinful, illegal
of God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
but	ἀλλ’	all’	Conjunction	G235 but, except
under	ἔννομος	ennomos	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1772 legal, obedient to the law
of Christ	Χριστοῦ	Christou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ
to	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
win	κερδάνω	kerdanō	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G2770 I gain, win, avoid loss
those	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
without	ἀνόμους	anomous	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G459 lawless, sinful, illegal

1 Corinthians 9:22

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To the	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
weak	ἀσθενέσιν	asthenesin	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G772 weak, infirm, sick
I became	ἐγενόμην	egenomēn	Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G1096 I come into being, am born
weak	ἀσθενής	asthenēs	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G772 weak, infirm, sick
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
the	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
weak	ἀσθενεῖς	astheneis	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G772 weak, infirm, sick
I have become	γέγονα	gegona	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1096 I come into being, am born
all	πάντα	panta	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
things	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
to all	πᾶσιν	pasin	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
so that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
by all possible means	πάντως	pantōs	Adverb	G3843 entirely, in every way, certainly
I might save	σώσω	sōsō	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G4982 I save, heal
some	τινὰς	tinas	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G5100 any one, some one

1 Corinthians 9:23

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I do	ποιῶ	poiō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G4160 I do, make
all	Πάντα	Panta	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
for the sake of	διὰ	dia	Preposition	G1223 through, on account of
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
gospel	εὐαγγέλιον	euangelion	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G2098 the good news, the gospel
so that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
I may share	γένωμαι	genōmai	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular	G1096 I come into being, am born
in its	αὐτοῦ	autou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same