1 Corinthians 9-11

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Paul’s Example as an Apostle

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal^(A) of my apostleship in the Lord. ³ My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴ Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?^{(B) 5} Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife^[a] like the other apostles,^(C) the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?^{(D) 6} Or do Barnabas^(E) and I alone have no right to refrain from working? ⁷ Who ever goes to war at his own expense?^(F) Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? ⁸ Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox^(G) while it treads out grain.^(H)[b] Is God really concerned with oxen? ¹⁰ Or isn’t He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us,^(I) because he who plows ought to plow in hope,^(J) and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop.^{(K) 11} If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?

However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything^(L) so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar^(M) share in the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.^(N)

¹⁵ But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted^(O) with a stewardship. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.^(P)

¹⁹ Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win^(Q) 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^[c]—to win those under the law.^{(R) 21} To those who are without that law,^(S) 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.^{(T) 23} Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.^[d]

²⁴ Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,^(U) but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.^{(V) 25} Now everyone who competes exercises self-control^(W) in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown^(X) that will fade away,^(Y) but we a crown that will never fade away. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.^(Z)

Warnings from Israel’s Past

10 Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers^(AA) were all under the cloud,^(AB) all passed through the sea,^{(AC) 2} and all were baptized^(AD) into Moses^(AE) in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food,^{(AF) 4} and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock^(AG) that followed them, and that rock was Christ.^{(AH) 5} But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.^(AI)

⁶ Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire^(AJ) evil things as they did.^{[e](AK) 7} Don’t become idolaters^(AL) as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.^{[f](AM)[g] 8} Let us not commit sexual immorality^(AN) as some of them did,^[h] and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead.^{(AO) 9} Let us not test Christ as some of them did^[i] and were destroyed by snakes.^{(AP) 10} Nor should we complain^(AQ) as some of them did,^[j](AR) and were killed by the destroyer.^{[k](AS) 11} Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us,^(AT) on whom the ends of the ages^(AU) have come.^{(AV) 12} So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.^{(AW) 13} No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful,^(AX) and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape^(AY) so that you are able to bear it.

Warning against Idolatry

¹⁴ Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup^(AZ) of blessing^(BA) that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread^(BB) that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one^(BC) body, for all of us share that one bread. ¹⁸ Look at the people of Israel.^[l] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar?^{(BD) 19} What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but I do say that what they^[m] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. ²² Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?^(BE)

Christian Liberty

²³ “Everything is permissible,”^[n][o] but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,”^[p] but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person.^(BF)

²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, ²⁶ for the earth is the Lord’s,^(BG) and all that is in it.^{(BH)[q] 27} If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it,^(BI) out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake.^{[r] 29} I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged^(BJ) by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanks,^(BK) why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.^{(BL) 32} Give no offense^(BM) to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many,^(BN) so that they may be saved. 11 ¹ Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(BO)

Instructions about Head Coverings

² Now I praise you^[s] because you always remember me and keep the traditions^(BP) just as I delivered^(BQ) them to you. ³ But I want you to know that Christ is the head^(BR) of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,^[t](BS) and God is the head of Christ.^{(BT) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors^(BU) his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.^{(BV) 6} So if a woman’s head^[u] is not covered, her hair should be cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should be covered.

⁷ A man, in fact, should not cover his head, because he is God’s image^(BW) and glory,^(BX) but woman is man’s glory. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.^{(BY) 9} And man was not created for woman, but woman for man. ¹⁰ This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.^(BZ)

¹³ Judge^(CA) for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach^(CB) you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace^(CC) to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?^(CD) For her hair is given to her^[v] as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other^[w] custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ There must, indeed, be factions^(CE) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ Therefore, when you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(CF) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper ahead of others. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(CG) On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ gave thanks, broke it, and said,^[x] “This is My body, which is^[y] for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”^(CH)

²⁵ In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(CI) established by My blood.^(CJ) Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death^(CK) until He comes.^(CL)

Self-Examination

²⁷ Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body^[z] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[aa] eats and drinks judgment^(CM) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(CN) 31} If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged,^(CO) we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned^(CP) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. And I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(CQ)