1 Corinthians 9

Q&A

1. What things proved that Paul was an apostle? 9:2
   
   • ¹ Am I not an apostle?
     Am I not free?
     Have I not seen
     Jesus Christ our Lord?
     Are you
     not my work
     in the Lord?
   • ² If I am not an apostle to others,
     yet doubtless I am to you.
     For you
   • are the seal
     of my apostleship
     in the Lord.
2. a. What rights did Paul have as an apostle? 9:4-5
   b. What did Paul and Barnabas not do? 9:6
   
   • ³ My defense
     to those who examine me
     is this:
   • ⁴ Do we have no right
     to eat and drink?
   • ⁵ Do we have no right
     to take along a believing wife,
     as do also the other apostles,
     the brothers of the Lord,
     and Cephas?
   • ⁶ Or is it only
     Barnabas and I
     who have no right
     to refrain from working?
3. a. What examples did Paul use, to validate the rights that he and Barnabas had? 9:7-10
   b. Since Paul sowed spiritual things, what could he have reaped? 9:11
   
   • ⁷ Who ever goes to war
     at his own expense?
     Who plants a vineyard
     and does not
     eat of its fruit?
     Or who tends a flock
     and does not
     drink of the milk of the flock?
   • ⁸ Do I say these things as a mere man?
     Or does not the law say the same also?
   • ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses,
     “You shall not muzzle an ox
     while it treads out the grain.”
     Is it oxen God is concerned about?
   • ¹⁰ Or does He say it altogether for our sakes?
     For our sakes, no doubt,
     this is written,
     that he who plows
     should plow in hope,
     and he who threshes in hope
     should be partaker of his hope.
   • ¹¹ If we have sown
     spiritual things for you,
     is it a great thing
     if we reap your material things?
4. a. Although Paul and Barnabas had these rights, what did they not do with them? 9:12
   b. Why did they give up these rights? 9:12
   
   • ¹² If others are partakers
     of this right over you,
     are we not even more?
   • Nevertheless we have not
     used this right,
     but endure all things
     lest we hinder
     the gospel of Christ.
5. a. What right do those who minister the holy things have? 9:13
   b. How should those who preach the gospel live? 9:14
   
   • ¹³ Do you not know that
     those who minister
     the holy things
     eat of the things of the temple,
     and
     those who serve
     at the altar
     partake of the offerings of the altar?
   • ¹⁴ Even so
     the Lord has commanded
     that those who
     preach the gospel
     should live from the gospel.
6. Why had Paul not used any of these rights? 9:15
   
   • ¹⁵ But I have used
     none of these things,
     nor have I written these things
     that it should be done so
     to me;
     for it would be better
     for me to die
     than that anyone
     should make
     my boasting void.
7.  a. Why did Paul have nothing to boast about for  preaching the gospel? 9:16
   b. What had he been entrusted with? 9:17
   
   • ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel,
     I have nothing to boast of,
     for necessity is laid upon me;
     yes, woe is me
     if I do not preach the gospel!
   • ¹⁷ For if
     I do this willingly,
     I have a reward;
     but if against
     my will,
     I have been entrusted with
     a stewardship.
8. What was Paul's reward for preaching the gospel? 9:18
   
   • ¹⁸ What is my reward then?
     That when I preach the gospel,
     I may present the gospel of Christ
     without charge,
     that I may not
     abuse my authority
     in the gospel.
9. a. Why did Paul make himself a servant of all? 9:19
   b. Who did Paul become, so that he could win others to Jesus? 9:22
   c. Why did he do all these things? 9:22
   
   • ¹⁹ I have made myself
     a servant to all,
     that I might win the more.
     For though I am free
     from all men,
     I have made myself
     a servant to all,
     that I might win the more;
   • ²⁰ and
     to the Jews
     I became as a Jew,
     that I might
     win Jews;
     to those who
     are under the law,
     as under the law,
     that I might win 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 win the weak.
     I have become
     all things
     to all men,
     that I might
     by all means
     save some.
10. For what sake did Paul do this? 9:23
    
    • ²³ Now this
      I do
      for the gospel’s sake,
      that I may be partaker of it
      with you.
11. a. How many runners receive the prize? 9:24
    b. What kind of crown do they compete for? 9:25
    
    
    • ²⁴ Do you not know
      that those who run in a race
      all run,
      but one receives the prize?
      Run in such a way
      that you may obtain it.
    • ²⁵ And everyone who competes
      for the prize
      is temperate (not endulgent) in all things.
      Now they do it to obtain
      a perishable crown,
      but we
      for an imperishable crown.
12. a. How did Paul not run? 9:26
    b. How did he fight? 9:26
    c. Why did he discipline his body? 9:27
    d. What did he not want to happen to him after preaching to others? 9:27
    
    • ²⁶ Therefore I run thus:
      not with uncertainty.
      Thus I fight:
      not as one who beats the air.
    • ²⁷ But I discipline my body
      and bring it into subjection,
      lest, when I have preached to others,
      I myself should become disqualified.