1 Corinthians 9:11-23 WEB

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:16

For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of ,.... The sense is not, that if he preached the Gospel in order for a livelihood, and to serve his private advantage, he should have no room for glorying; since, if this was the case, he should be obliged to do it, or perish for want: but his meaning is, that though he preached the Gospel ever so well, or ever so freely, and might glory before men, and against the false teachers, who insulted him in his character and office; yet not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:17

For if I do this thing willingly ,.... That is, not freely and without receiving anything for preaching, without seeking any temporal profits and advantages; nor in pure love to Christ, and the good of souls, without any fear of punishment, or hope of reward; but the apostle supposes a case which was not, and his sense is, that supposing no necessity had been laid upon him, or any injunction or command given him to preach the Gospel, but he had entered on it without any obligation upon him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:18

What is my reward then ?.... None at all, I have none to expect, hope for, or claim, in a way of debt; I am a servant intrusted by my Lord with the Gospel, and an unprofitable one I am; I do, at most and best, but what is my duty, and for that I can claim no reward: all the reward that remains is only this, verily, that when I preach the Gospel , which I am obliged to do, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge ; to them that hear it, as he did to the Corinthians, which was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:19

For though I be free from all men ,.... As an apostle, being in the highest office in the church, he had none superior to him, that could exercise any power and authority over him, and was also independent of men for his maintenance, which he got by his own hand labour: though it may be observed, that the word "men" is not in the original text, and the word "all" may as well have respect to things as men; and the sense be, that he was free, as from the curse of the moral law, so from the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:20

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew ,.... That is, in religion; or with respect to some religious observances peculiar to the Jews, for he himself was really a Jew by nature; who became as one unto them in this sense, when he for their sakes circumcised Timothy at Derbe, or Lystra, purified himself at Jerusalem, shaved his head at Cenchrea, observed their sabbath, and abstained from some sorts of food forbidden in the law; and his end in so doing was, not to confirm them in such usages, but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:21

To them that are without law, as without law ,.... Meaning the Gentiles, who, though they were not without the law of nature, nor without many good civil laws, by which the more cultivated and civilized nations among them were governed, yet they were without the written law of Moses; a description of the Gentiles, usual with the Jews; see Romans 2:12 . And to these the apostle accommodated himself, as if he was without the law; by conversing with them without any difference; by eating any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:22

To the weak became I as weak ,.... That is, to weak Christians, who were weak in faith, and had not such clear knowledge of Gospel liberty, and therefore scrupled the eating of some sorts of meat, and particularly meats offered to idols; and the apostle so far consulted the peace and edification of these weak brethren, and so far complied with them, and became as one of them, that, rather than offend them, he determined to eat no meat while the world stood: that I might gain the weak ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:23

And this I do for the Gospel's sake ,.... The Alexandrian copy and some others read, "all things I do", &c.; and so the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; that is, he became all things to all men, and so and so to different persons; not for his own sake, for his own temporal advantage, or to curry favour with men; not for the sake of gaining wealth, or honour and applause to himself, but for the spread of the Gospel, and its greater usefulness among men: to which he adds, that I... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 9:11

If we have sown unto you spiritual things - If we have been the means of bringing you into a state of salvation by the Divine doctrines which we have preached unto you, is it too much for us to expect a temporal support then we give ourselves up entirely to this work? Every man who preaches the Gospel has a right to his own support and that of his family while thus employed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 9:12

If others be partakers of this power - If those who in any matter serve you have a right to a recompense for that service, surely we who have served you in the most essential matters have a right to our support while thus employed in your service. We have not used this power - Though we had this right, we have not availed ourselves of it, but have worked with our hands to bear our own charges, lest any of you should think that we preached the Gospel merely to procure a temporal support,... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 9:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 9:12

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