Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, October 15th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Amplified Bible

1 Corinthians 9:17

For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God's choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Evil;   Minister, Christian;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Reward;   Reward-Punishment;   Stewardship;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gospel, the;   Man;   Ministers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dispensation;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Evangelist;   Steward;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dispensation;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Tribute;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Dispensation;   1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Steward;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Gospels (2);   Reward;   Steward;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dispensation,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dispensation;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 5;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
If I did it because it was my own choice, I would deserve to be paid. But I have no choice. I must tell the Good News. So I am only doing the duty that was given to me.
Revised Standard Version
For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
If I do it with a good will I have a rewarde. But yf I do it agaynst my will an office is committed vnto me.
Hebrew Names Version
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.
International Standard Version
For if I do this voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with an obligation.1 Corinthians 3:8,14; 4:1; Galatians 2:7; Philippians 1:17; Colossians 1:25;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a commission nonetheless.
New Century Version
If I preach because it is my own choice, I have a reward. But if I preach and it is not my choice to do so, I am only doing the duty that was given to me.
Update Bible Version
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.
Webster's Bible Translation
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed to me.
English Standard Version
For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
World English Bible
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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If indeed I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, yet a dispensation is intrusted to me.
Weymouth's New Testament
And if I preach willingly, I receive my wages; but if against my will, a stewardship has nevertheless been entrusted to me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But if Y do this thing wilfuli, Y haue mede; but if ayens my wille, dispending is bitakun to me.
English Revised Version
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
Berean Standard Bible
If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.
Contemporary English Version
If I preach because I want to, I will be paid. But even if I don't want to, it is still something God has sent me to do.
American Standard Version
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
Bible in Basic English
But if I do it gladly, I have a reward; and if not, I am under orders to do it.
Complete Jewish Bible
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if I do it unwillingly, I still do it, simply because I've been entrusted with a job.
Darby Translation
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.
Etheridge Translation
For if with my will I do this, I have a reward. But if without my will, (yet) a stewardship is confided to me.
Murdock Translation
For if I do this voluntarily, there is a reward for me: but if involuntarily, a stewardship is intrusted to me.
King James Version (1611)
For if I doe this thing willingly, I haue a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed vnto me.
New Living Translation
If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.
New Life Bible
If I do this because I want to, I will get my reward. If I do not want to do it, I am still expected to do it.
New Revised Standard
For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For if I do it willingly, I haue a reward, but if I do it against my will, notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me.
George Lamsa Translation
For if I do this thing willingly, I have my reward: but if against my will, it is like a stewardship intrusted to me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, if, by choice, this thing I am doing, I have, a reward; but, if not by choice, with a stewardship, have I been entrusted!
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For if I do it with a good wil, I haue a reward: but if [I do it] against my wil, the dispensatio is committed vnto me.
Good News Translation
If I did my work as a matter of free choice, then I could expect to be paid; but I do it as a matter of duty, because God has entrusted me with this task.
Christian Standard Bible®
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a commission.
King James Version
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
Lexham English Bible
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward, but if I do so unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
Literal Translation
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship.
Young's Literal Translation
for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf I do it with a good wyll, I shall haue my rewarde: but yff I do it agaynst my wyll, yet is the office commytted vnto me.
Mace New Testament (1729)
now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged.
New English Translation
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.
New King James Version
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If I had decided on my own to preach, then I'd accept my wages for it, but Jesus appeared to me himself and gave me my duty.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
Legacy Standard Bible
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

Contextual Overview

15But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my boast [in this matter of financial support]. 16For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]! 17For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God's choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship.18What then is my reward? [Just this:] that, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge [to everyone], so as not to take advantage of my rights [as a preacher and apostle] in [preaching] the gospel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if I: 1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 Chronicles 29:5, 1 Chronicles 29:9, 1 Chronicles 29:14, Nehemiah 11:2, Isaiah 6:8, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Philemon 1:14, 1 Peter 5:2-4

have: 1 Corinthians 3:8, 1 Corinthians 3:14, Matthew 10:41

against: Exodus 4:13, Exodus 4:14, Jeremiah 20:9, Ezekiel 3:14, Jonah 1:3, Jonah 4:1-3, Malachi 1:10

dispensation: 1 Corinthians 9:16, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Matthew 24:25, Luke 12:42, Galatians 2:7, Ephesians 3:2-8, Philippians 1:17, Colossians 1:25, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Timothy 1:11-13

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:30 - uncircumcised Exodus 35:29 - whose heart Judges 5:2 - when 2 Chronicles 15:7 - your work Matthew 6:1 - otherwise Luke 12:48 - For Luke 17:10 - General Acts 4:20 - we cannot Acts 20:24 - and the Romans 1:15 - I Romans 3:2 - committed 1 Corinthians 3:5 - even 2 Corinthians 8:3 - beyond Colossians 3:24 - ye shall 2 Timothy 1:14 - good Titus 1:3 - which Revelation 22:12 - and my

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For if I do this thing willingly,.... That is, not freely and without receiving anything for preaching, without seeking any temporal profits and advantages; nor in pure love to Christ, and the good of souls, without any fear of punishment, or hope of reward; but the apostle supposes a case which was not, and his sense is, that supposing no necessity had been laid upon him, or any injunction or command given him to preach the Gospel, but he had entered on it without any obligation upon him, then, says he,

I have a reward; or should have one, or might expect one; so the Jews q say, that a reward is given to him, who does anything unbidden:

but if against my will, or unwillingly,

a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me; which was his case; the Gospel was committed to his trust, as anything is to the trust and charge of a steward by his lord, who is obliged to take care of it, and is accountable for it, and of whom faithfulness is required; he did not undertake this economy, or dispensation of the Gospel of himself, of his own mind and will, but it was enjoined him by one that had the command over him, and could and did oblige him to take the charge of it; though he made him willing, as well as able to do it: and therefore since this was the case, that it was not at his own option whether he would preach the Gospel or not, but he was obliged to it by one, that had a superior power and influence over him; hence, though he performed it ever so well, and with never so much faithfulness and integrity, he asks in the following verse,

q Maimon. apud Hammond in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For if I do this thing willingly - If I preach so as to show that my heart is in it; that I am not compelled, If I pursue such a course as to show that I prefer it to all other employments. If Paul took a compensation for his services, he could not well do this; if he did not, he showed that his heart was in it, and that he preferred the work to all others. Even though he had been in a manner compelled to engage in that work, yet he so acted in the work as to show that it had his hearty preference. This was done by his submitting to voluntary self-denials and sacrifices in order to spread the Saviour’s name.

I have a reward - I shall meet with the approbation of my Lord, and shall obtain the reward in the world to come, which is promised to those who engage heartily, and laboriously, and successfully in turning sinners to God; Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43; Matthew 25:21-23; James 5:20.

But if against my will - (ἄκων akōn). “If under a necessity 1 Corinthians 9:16; if by the command of another” (Grotius); if I do it by the fear of punishment, or by any strong necessity which is laid on me.

A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me - I am entrusted with (πεπίστευμαι pepisteumai) this dispensation, office, economy (οἰκονομίαν oikonomian) of the gospel. It has been laid upon me; I have been called to it; I must engage in this work; and if I do it from mere compulsion or in such a way that my will shall not acquiesce in it, and concur with it, I shall have no distinguished reward. The work must be done; I must preach the gospel; and it becomes me so to do it as to show that my heart and will entirely concur; that it is not a matter of compulsion, but of choice. This he proposed to do by so denying himself, and so foregoing comforts which he might lawfully enjoy, and so subjecting himself to perils and toils in preaching the gospel, as to show that his heart was in the work, and that he truly loved it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. For if I do this thing willingly — If I be a cordial co-operator with God, I have a reward, an incorruptible crown, 1 Corinthians 9:25. Or, if I freely preach this Gospel without being burthensome to any, I have a special reward; but if I do not, I have simply an office to fulfil, into which God has put me, and may fulfil it conscientiously, and claim my privileges at the same time; but then I lose that special reward which I have in view by preaching the Gospel without charge to any.

This and the 18th verse have been variously translated: Sir Norton Knatchhull and, after him, Mr. Wakefield translate the two passages thus: For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if I am intrusted with an office without my consent? what is my reward then? to make the Gospel of Christ, whilst I preach it, without charge, in not using to the utmost my privileges in the Gospel.

Others render the passage thus: But if I do it merely because I am obliged to it, I only discharge an office that is committed to me, 1 Corinthians 9:18. For what then shall I be rewarded? It is for this, that, preaching the Gospel of Christ, I preach it freely, and do not insist on a claim which the Gospel itself gives me.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile