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1 Corinthians 9

1 - Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren't you my work in the Lord?
2 - If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 - My defense to those who examine me is this.
4 - Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5 - Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 - Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
7 - What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn't eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn't drink from the flock's milk?
8 - Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn't the law also say the same thing?
9 - For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares,Deuteronomy 25:4
10 - or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.
11 - If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
12 - If others partake of this right over you, don't we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.
13 - Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?
14 - Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
15 - But I have used none of these things, and I don't write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.
16 - For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don't preach the Good News.
17 - For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
18 - What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.
19 - For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20 - To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
21 - to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
22 - To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23 - Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.
24 - Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.
25 - Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.
26 - I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,
27 - but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
1 Corinthians Images and Notes

The Book of 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Corinthians in The New Testament - A Brief Overview

Painting of the Apostle Paul by Rembrandt - 1657
Painting of Paul the Apostle by Rembrandt - 1657

Introduction to The Book of 1 Corinthians

Brief Summary. Paul exhorts the church at Corinth regarding disorders, problems, abuses, and heresies.

Summary of The Book of 1 Corinthians

Purpose. Paul desired to correct some of the problems that had arisen at the church in Corinth. Paul addresses questions which the church at Corinth had sent to him in a letter delivered by Fortunatus, Stephanus, and Achaicus. Paul deals with each problem individually in order. He rebukes the parties which arose from a divisive spirit and a failure to humble themselves before the true wisdom of God. He also rebukes strongly a case of incest which existed in the church. He also encourages the believers to settle disputes among themselves and the church, not bringing lawsuits into heathen courts. He also urges Christians to  "flee fornication," which was obviously a big problem in licentious Corinth. Paul also deals with many of the problems connected with marriage. He then discusses Christian liberty and how to live in a community filled with idolatry. He also instructs the church regarding the conduct of women in public worship and the abuses concerning the Lord's Supper. He also urges Christians to desire spiritual gifts and to use them properly. 1 Corinthians 13 is the famous "love" chapter and Paul defines what true Christian love is. Paul also addresses the resurrection of the dead, and the glorified bodies awaiting the believers in Christ. He encourages the church at Corinth to take up a collection for the poor at Jerusalem, and he lets them know that he intended visit to Corinth soon. He concludes with practical concerns as well as the customary salutations, warnings, and benediction.

Authorship. Paul was the author of the book of 1 Corinthians.

Date. Most scholars agree that 1 Corinthians was written in 55 AD

Place of Writing. Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8).

Outline of the Book of 1 Corinthians

Unity Versus Division - Chapters 1-3
Order Versus Disorder -  Chapters 4-11
Church Gifts, Love, and Doctrines - Chapters 12-16

Jesus written in Hebrew
The Name Jesus In Ancient Hebrew Text
"Yeshua" in First Century Hebrew Text. This is how the name "Jesus" would have been written in ancient Hebrew documents. The four letters or consonants from right to left are Yod, Shin, Vav, Ayin (Y, SH, OO, A). Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew name Joshua or Y'shua which means "The LORD or Yahweh is Salvation".

1 Corinthians Maps and Resources

Map of the Roman Empire (14 A.D.) - This map reveals the Roman Empire during the time shortly after the birth of Jesus, in 14 AD at the time of the death of Augustus. The order which prevailed in this extensive empire, the good military roads, and the use of Koine Greek as the general language of culture throughout the area were among the factors which multiplied the rapid spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's First Missionary Journey (48 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia Minor where Paul visited in his first missionary journey. Around 48 AD, in the springtime, Paul and his companions Barnabas and Mark were sent on a mission from the church in Antioch. This would be the first of Paul's Missionary Journey's. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's Second Missionary Journey (51 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his second missionary journey. Paul re-visits a couple cities in Asia, one of which was Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead a few years earlier. He later has a vision that leads him over to Greece and Paul and his companions travel and minister in various cities in Greece (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth. Later Paul returns to Ephesus and finally to Caesarea and Antioch. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's Third Missionary Journey (54 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his third missionary journey. On Paul's third missionary journey he returned to the cities he had first visited on his first missionary journey. During this time he decided to remain in Ephesus for about 3 years, and this city was the main focus of his activities and an important Christian community (Acts 19). (Color Map)

Map of the New Testament World - This map reveals the "Nations" within the ancient world during the first century A.D., the time of the New Testament. The map includes the areas of Israel, Asia, Greece, and Italy. (Color Map)

Map of New Testament Greece This map reveals the cities within Greece in the ancient world during the first century A.D.,The map includes the principal cities of Greece like: Athens, Corinth, and Thessalonica, and provinces like Macedonia and Achaia. (Color Map)