1 Corinthians 9:21 BSB

1 Corinthians 9:21

To 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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.

KJV

To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

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Commentary

2 voices

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians (1107)

By "lawless" he means either those who did not have the Law of Moses, who converted from among the Gentiles, such as Cornelius (Acts 10), and in visiting whom Paul condescended to their weakness, or also the Greeks, to whom he likewise adapted himself—for example, …

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

To them that are without law - To the Gentiles, who have not the law of Moses; see the note at Rom 2:12, note at Rom 2:14. As without law - Not practicing the special rites and ceremonies enjoined in the law of Moses. Not insisting on them, or urging them, but showing that the obligation to those rites had been done away; and that they were not binding, though when among the Jews I might still continue to observe them; see the notes at Acts 15; and the argument of Paul in Gal 2:11-

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

So the Christian, though no longer subject to the literal law as constraining him from without, is subject to an inward principle or law, the spirit of faith in Christ acting from within as the germ of a new life. He does not in the Greek (as in English Version) say "under the law (as he does in 1Co 9:20) to Christ"; but uses the milder term, "in . . . law," responsible to law.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

15 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
τοῖς	tois	To those	G3588 →
ἀνόμοις	anomois	outside [the] Law	G459 →
ὡς	hōs	like	G5613 →
ἄνομος,	anomos	outside [the] Law —	G459 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ὢν	ōn	being	G1510 →
ἄνομος	anomos	outside [the] law	G459 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
ἀλλ᾽	all᾽	but	G235 →
ἔννομος	ennomos	under [the] law	G1772 →
Χριστοῦ,	Christou	of Christ —	G5547 →
ἵνα	ina	so that	G2443 →
κερδάνω	kerdanō	I may win	G2770 →
τοὺς	tous	those	G3588 →
ἀνόμους.	anomous	outside [the] Law.	G459 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Galatians 3:2
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
leads to
- Romans 10:16–17
  But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
- Galatians 3:14
  He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Acts 15:8
  And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
- Ephesians 1:13–14
  And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- Galatians 3:5
  Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
Through
Romans 2:14
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
leads to
- Romans 1:19–20
  For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
- Romans 2:12
  All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
Through
Romans 2:12
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
leads to
- Galatians 3:10
  All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

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About 1 Corinthians

The Crucifixion — 'Christ crucified' (1 Cor 2:2) — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read chapter 9 →The featured study →

Continue: 1 Corinthians 9 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 1 Corinthians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 1 Corinthians