1 Corinthians 9:19

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ I am free. I belong to no other person, but I make myself a slave to everyone. I do this to help save as many people as I can. ¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. ¹⁹ For though I be fre from all men yet have I made my silfe servaunt vnto all men that I myght wynne the moo. ¹⁹ For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. ¹⁹ Although I am free from all people, I made myself a slave to all of them to win more of them.Matthew 18:15; 1 Corinthians 9:1; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 3:1;">[xr] ¹⁹ For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more.¹⁹ I am free and belong to no one. But I make myself a slave to all people to win as many as I can. ¹⁹ For though I was free from all [men,] I became a slave to all, that I might gain the more. ¹⁹ For though I am free from all [men], yet I have made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. ¹⁹ For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I be: 1 Corinthians 9:1, Galatians 5:1

I made: 1 Corinthians 10:33, Matthew 20:26-28, John 13:14, John 13:15, Romans 1:14, Romans 15:2, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Galatians 5:13

that: 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, 1 Corinthians 7:16, Proverbs 11:30, Matthew 18:15, Romans 11:14, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 2:10, James 5:19, James 5:20, 1 Peter 3:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:14 - be able Exodus 26:26 - bars of shittim wood Leviticus 25:55 - my servants Matthew 11:17 - We Matthew 17:27 - lest Matthew 20:27 - whosoever Matthew 23:11 - General Mark 8:34 - Whosoever Mark 10:43 - whosoever Luke 11:37 - General Luke 14:1 - as Luke 14:23 - compel John 4:36 - he that reapeth receiveth Acts 15:2 - should Acts 21:21 - that thou 1 Corinthians 3:22 - Paul 1 Corinthians 7:22 - is Christ's 1 Corinthians 8:13 - if meat 1 Corinthians 9:22 - that I might by 1 Corinthians 10:24 - seek 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - for Titus 3:2 - all men

Cross-References

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
And Noah was 500 years old: And Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
Forsothe Noe whanne he was of fyue hundrid yeer gendride Sem, Cham, and Jafeth.

Genesis 5:32
And Noah is a son of five hundred years, and Noah begetteth Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For though I be free from all men,.... As an apostle, being in the highest office in the church, he had none superior to him, that could exercise any power and authority over him, and was also independent of men for his maintenance, which he got by his own hand labour: though it may be observed, that the word "men" is not in the original text, and the word "all" may as well have respect to things as men; and the sense be, that he was free, as from the curse of the moral law, so from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and all the rituals of it, and might, if he would, make use of his Christian liberty; the following verses seem to incline to this sense, as the preceding ones do to the former:

yet have I made myself servant unto all; in faithfully and indefatigably preaching the Gospel to them; undergoing all manner of affliction and persecution for the sake of that and them; behaving towards them with all meekness and humility; condescending to their weakness, and accommodating himself to their capacities and customs:

that I might gain the more; than other apostles have done, or than it could be reasonably thought he should, had he behaved in a more lordly and domineering manner: his end was not to amass wealth, to gain riches and treasures of good things to himself, but many souls to Christ, who otherwise must have been lost; but being brought to the knowledge of Christ, and salvation by him through his ministry, it was profit to them, and gain to Christ: the metaphor is taken from merchants, who spare no pains, but take every method to acquire gain and profit; the ministers of the word are spiritual merchants, their traffic lies in the souls of men, whom they are studiously and anxiously careful to bring to Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For though I be free - I am a freeman. I am under obligation to none. I am not bound to. give them my labors, and at the same time to toil for my own support. I have claims like others, and could urge them; and no man could demand that I should give myself to a life of servitude, and comply with their prejudices and wishes, as if I were a “slave,” in order to their conversion; compare 1 Corinthians 9:1; see the notes at 1 Corinthians 6:12.

From all men - (ἐκ πάντων ek pantōn). This may either refer to all “persons” or to all “things.” The word “men” is not in the original. The connection, however, seems to fix the signification to “persons.” “I am a freeman. And although I have conducted like a slave, yet it has been done voluntarily.”

I have made myself the servant of all - Greek, “I have ‘enslaved myself’ (ἐμαυτὸν ἐδούλωσα emauton edoulōsa) unto all.” That is:

(1) I labor for them, or in their service, and to promote their welfare.

(2) I do it, as the slave does, without reward or hire. I am not paid for it, but submit to the toil, and do it without receiving pay.

(3) Like the slave who wishes to gratify his master, or who is compelled from the necessity of the case, I comply with the prejudices, habits, customs, and opinions of others as far as I can with a good conscience. The “slave” is subject to the master’s will. That will must be obeyed. The whims, prejudices, caprices of the master must be submitted to, even if they are “mere” caprice, and wholly unreasonable. So Paul says that he had voluntarily put himself into this condition, a condition making it necessary for him to suit himself to the opinions, prejudices, caprices, and feelings of all people, so far as he could do it with a good conscience, in order that he might save them. We are not to understand here that Paul embraced any opinions which were false in order to do this, or that he submitted to anything which is morally wrong. But he complied with their customs, and habits, and feelings, as far as it could lawfully be done. He did not needlessly offend them, or run counter to their prejudices.

That I might gain the more - That I might gain more to Christ; that I might be the means of saving more souls. What a noble instance of self-denial and true greatness is here! How worthy of religion! How elevated the conduct! How magnanimous, and how benevolent! No man would do this who had not a greatness of intellect that would rise above narrow prejudices; and who had not a nobleness of heart that would seek at personal sacrifice the happiness of all people. It is said that not a few early Christians, in illustration of this principle of conduct, actually sold themselves into slavery in order that they might have access to and benefit slaves, an act to which nothing would prompt a man but the religion of the cross; compare the note at Romans 1:14.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 19. For though I be free — Although I am under no obligation to any man, yet I act as if every individual had a particular property in me, and as if I were the slave of the public.