1 Corinthians 9:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ But I have not used any of these rights, and I am not trying to get anything from you. That is not my purpose for writing this. I would rather die than to have someone take away what for me is a great source of pride. ¹⁵ But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting. ¹⁵ But I have vsed none of these thinges. Nether wrote I these thinges that it shuld be so done vnto me. For it were better for me to dye the yt eny man shnld take this reioysinge from me ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things, and I don't write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. ¹⁵ But I have not used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason forreason for">[fn] boasting.Acts 18:3; 20:34; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 9:12; 2 Corinthians 11:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8;">[xr] ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make my boast an empty one! ¹⁵ But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this now to get anything from you. I would rather die than to have my reason for bragging taken away. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things: and I do not write these things that it may be so done in my case; for [it was] good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorifying void. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. ¹⁵ But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

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.