1 Corinthians 9:18
in 1 Corinthians 9What 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
KJV
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 9
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThat is: for me, the great and praiseworthy reward is in not using my right to take, not using it at all. For the word κατάχρησις (which in other cases means misuse) he used here in the sense of use (χρήσις) in general. He everywhere …
This site's exposition
If my preaching is voluntary
on 1 Corinthians 9:17-18
Paul's reward is the very renunciation the chapter has defended his right to make, offering the gospel free of charge. A right proven at length is handed back as an offering.
This site's exposition
offer it free of charge
The reward is the freedom to give the gospel away. Clarke and Theophylact take the final verb as using a right to the full, so that Paul claims nothing he could demand.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel! For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the Gospel." What sayest thou? tell me. "If thou preach the Gospel, it is nothing for thee to glory of, but it is, if thou make the Gospel of Christ without charge?" Is this therefore greater than that? By no means; but in another point of view it hath some advantage, inasmuch as the one is a command, but the other is a good deed of my own free-will: for what things are done beyond the commandment, have a great reward in this respect: but such as are in pursuance of a commandment, not so great: and so in this respect he says, the one is more than the other; not in the very nature of the thing. For what is equal to preaching; since it maketh men vie even with the angels themselves. Nevertheless since the one is a commandment and a debt, the other a forwardness of free-will, in this respect this is more than that. Wherefore he saith, explaining the same, what I just now mentioned: "For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward, but if not of mine own will, a stewardship is entrusted to me;" taking the words of mine own "will" and "not of mine own will," of its being committed or not committed to him. And thus we must understand the expression, "for necessity is laid upon me;" not as though he did aught of these things against his will, God forbid, but as though he were bound by the things commanded, and for contradistinction to the liberty in receiving before mentioned. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
What then is my reward - That circumstance in my conduct for which I expect a peculiar reward from my great Master? That I abuse not - Make not an unseasonable use of my power which I have in preaching the gospel.
What is my reward then?....
What is it I expect a recompence from God for? That when I preach the gospel I may make it without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. Or, "not so to claim my rights as to make them destroy the great intentions and ends of my office, but renounce them for the sake of these." It is an abuse of power to employ it against the very ends for which it is given.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
That I abuse not my power - I am inclined to think that καταχρησασθαι is to be understood here, not in the sense of abusing, but of using to the uttermost - exacting every thing that a man can claim by law. How many proofs have we of this in preachers of different denominations, who insist so strongly and so frequently on their privileges, as they term them, that the people are tempted to believe they seek not their souls’ interests, but their secular goods. Such preachers can do the people no good.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The former, as involving the latter, is verbally made the answer to the question, "What is my reward?" But really the "reward" is that which is the ultimate aim of his preaching without charge, namely, that he may gain the more; it was for this end, not to have matter of glorying, that he did so.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
What is my reward then? - What is the source of my reward? or what is there in my conduct that will show that I am entitled to reward What is there that will demonstrate that my heart is in the work of the ministry; that I am free and voluntary, and that I am not urged by mere necessity? Though I have been called by miracle, and though necessity is laid upon me, so that I cannot but preach the gospel, yet how shall I so do it as to make it proper for God to reward me as a voluntary agent? Paul immediately states the circumstance that showed that he was entitled to the reward, and that was, that he denied himself, and was willing to forego his lawful enjoyments, and even his rights, that he might make the gospel without charge. I may make the gospel of Christ without charge - Without expense to those who hear it. I will support myself by my own labor, and will thus show that I am not urged to preaching by mere “necessity,” but that I love it. Observe here: (1) That Paul did not give up a support because he was not entitled to it. (2) He does not say that it would be well or advisable for others to do it. (3) It is right, and well for a man if he chooses and can do it, to make the gospel without charge, and to support himself. (4) All that This case proves is, that it would be proper only where a “necessity” was laid on a man, as it was on Paul; when he could not otherwise show that his heart was in the work, and that he was voluntary and loved it. (5) This passage cannot be urged “by a people” to prove that ministers ought not to have a support. Paul says they have a right to it. A man may forego a right if he pleases. He may choose not to urge it; but no one can demand of him that he should not urge it; much less have they a right to demand that he should give up his rights. (6) It is best in general that those who hear the gospel should contribute to its support. […]
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τίς | tis | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| οὖν | oun | then | G3767 → | 497 times |
| μού | mou | of me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μισθός; | misthos | reward? | G3408 → | 29 times |
| ἵνα | ina | That | G2443 → | 668 times |
| εὐαγγελιζόμενος | euangelizomenos | in evangelising | G2097 → | 54 times |
| ἀδάπανον | adapanon | free of charge | G77 → | |
| θήσω | theso | I may offer | G5087 → | 100 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐαγγέλιον | euangelion | gospel | G2098 → | 73 times |
| εἰς | eis | so as | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| καταχρήσασθαι | katachresasthai | to use up | G2710 → | |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐξουσίᾳ | exousia | right | G1849 → | 102 times |
| μου | mou | of me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐαγγελίῳ.¶ | euangelio | gospel. | G2098 → | 73 times |
τίςWhat
tisG5101 →563 times
οὖνthen
ounG3767 →497 times
μούof me
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
μισθός;reward?
misthosG3408 →29 times
ἵναThat
inaG2443 →668 times
εὐαγγελιζόμενοςin evangelising
euangelizomenosG2097 →54 times
ἀδάπανονfree of charge
adapanonG77 →
θήσωI may offer
thesoG5087 →100 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
εὐαγγέλιονgospel
euangelionG2098 →73 times
εἰςso as
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
καταχρήσασθαιto use up
katachresasthaiG2710 →
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἐξουσίᾳright
exousiaG1849 →102 times
μουof me
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
εὐαγγελίῳ.¶gospel.
euangelioG2098 →73 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 8:9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- Romans 14:20–21
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.
- 1 Peter 2:16
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
- 2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- Galatians 5:13
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- John 5:41
I do not accept glory from men,
- Galatians 1:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 22; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.