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1 Corinthians 9:13

in 1 Corinthians 9

Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?

KJV

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

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This verse in 1 Corinthians 9

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
Do ye not know ... - In this verse Paul illustrates the doctrine that the ministers of religion were, entitled to a support from the fact that those who were appointed to offer sacrifice receive a maintenance in their work. They which minister about holy things - Probably the “Levites.” Their office was to render assistance to the priests, to keep guard around the tabernacle, and subsequently around the temple.

This site's exposition

Do you not know that

on 1 Corinthians 9:13-14

Paul adds the priestly portion of Numbers 18 and the Lord's ordinance, most likely the saying kept at Luke 10:7. Three grounds now stand together: common trade, the Law of Moses and a word of the Lord.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V · Written before 220.

proposed

When he teaches that every man ought to live of his own industry, he begins with a copious induction of examples-of soldiers, and shepherds, and husbandmen.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 22 · Written before 407.

proposed

He takes great care to show that the receiving was not forbidden. Whereupon having said so much before, he was not content but proceeds also to the Law, furnishing an example closer to the point than the former. For it was not the same thing to bring forward the oxen and to adduce the law expressly given concerning priests. But consider, I pray, in this also the wisdom of Paul, how he mentions the matter in a way to give it dignity. For he did not say, "They which minister about sacred things receive of those who offer them." But what? "They eat of the temple:" so that neither they who receive may be blamed nor they who give may be lifted up. Wherefore also what follows he hath set down in the same way. For neither did he say, "They which wait upon the altar receive of them which sacrifice," but, "have their portion with the altar." For the things offered now no longer belonged to those who offered them, but to the temple and the altar. And he said not, "They receive the holy things," but, they "eat of the temple," indicating again their moderation, and that it behoves them not to make money nor to be rich. And though he say that they have their portion "with the altar," he doth not speak of equal distribution but of relief given them as their due. And yet the case of the Apostles was much stronger. For in the former instance the priesthood was an honor, but in the latter it was dangers and slaughters and violent deaths. Wherefore all the other examples together did not come up to the saying, "If we sowed unto you spiritual things:" since in saying, "we sowed," he points out the storms, the danger, the snares, the unspeakable evils, which they endured in preaching. […]

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

Not satisfied with the above example, he brings another passage from the Law to prove that he had the right to receive from his disciples. Since the commandment about oxen had been explained by him in a figurative sense, he says that the Law literally …

A commentator

Bonaventure

Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

First Corinthians nine: Do you not know that those who work in the sanctuary eat what belongs to the sanctuary, and those who serve at the altar share with the altar? The Gloss: "Natural reason dictates that one should live from where he labors." If …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

And, if the Jewish priesthood was maintained out of the holy things that were then offered, shall not Christ's ministers have a maintenance out of their ministry? Is there not as much reason that we should be maintained as they?" He asserts it to be the institution of Christ: " Even so hath the Lord ordained that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

minister about holy things--the Jewish priests and Levites. The Greek especially applies to the former, the priests offering sacrifices. partakers with the altar--a part of the victims going to the service of the altar, and the rest being shared by the priests (Le 7:6;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

They which minister about holy things - All the officers about the temple, whether priests, Levites, Nethinim, etc., had a right to their support while employed in its service. The priests partook of the sacrifices; the others had their maintenance from tithes, first fruits, and offerings made to the temple; for it was not lawful for them to live on the sacrifices. Hence the apostle makes the distinction between those who minister about holy things and those who wait at the altar.

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Corinthians 3:16Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?14 worksNumbers 5:9–10Every sacred contribution the Israelites bring to the priest shall belong to him.8 worksLeviticus 6:26The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.8 worksNumbers 18:8–20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.8 works1 Samuel 2:28And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire.5 works1 Corinthians 10:18Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?5 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Deuteronomy 18:1–5The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.5 worksRomans 6:3Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?5 worksLeviticus 6:16–18Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.4 worksLeviticus 7:6–8Every male among the priests may eat of it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.4 worksDeuteronomy 10:9That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.4 worksJoel 1:13Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.3 worksLeviticus 21:22He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,3 worksHebrews 13:10We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.3 worksLeviticus 7:7The guilt offering is like the sin offering; the same law applies to both. It belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it.3 worksProverbs 27:18Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.3 worksLeviticus 7:9Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in an oven or cooked in a pan or on a griddle belongs to the priest who presents it,2 worksMalachi 1:10“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 Samuel 2:28

    And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I…

    it leads to

    • Exodus 28:1

      “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

    • Leviticus 8:7–8

      He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened…

  • Through

    Leviticus 6:26

    The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 10:17–18

      “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them…

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 10:18

    Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?

    it leads to

    • Philippians 3:3–5

      For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

    • Leviticus 7:6

      Every male among the priests may eat of it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.

    • Ephesians 2:11–12

      Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—

    • Galatians 6:16

      Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.

    • Leviticus 3:11

      Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read 1 Corinthians 9 →
This page draws on 10 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); Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.

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