1 Corinthians 9:19
New International Version
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

New Living Translation
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

English Standard Version
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

Berean Standard Bible
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

Berean Literal Bible
For being free from all, I myself became servant to all, so that I might win the more.

King James Bible
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

New King James Version
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;

New American Standard Bible
For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more.

NASB 1995
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.

NASB 1977
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

Legacy Standard Bible
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.

Amplified Bible
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ].

Christian Standard Bible
Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people.

American Standard Version
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For as I am free from all these things, I have subjected myself to every person that I may gain the many.

Contemporary English Version
I am not anyone's slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so I can win as many people as possible.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.

English Revised Version
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Although I'm free from all people, I have made myself a slave for all people to win more of them.

Good News Translation
I am a free man, nobody's slave; but I make myself everybody's slave in order to win as many people as possible.

International Standard Version
Although I am free from everyone's expectations, I have made myself a servant to all of them to win more people.

Literal Standard Version
for being free from all men, I made myself servant to all men, that the more I might gain;

Majority Standard Bible
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

New American Bible
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.

NET Bible
For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people.

New Revised Standard Version
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.

New Heart English Bible
For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

Webster's Bible Translation
For though I am free from all men, yet I have made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.

Weymouth New Testament
Though free from all human control, I have made myself the slave of all in the hope of winning as many converts as possible.

World English Bible
For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

Young's Literal Translation
for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul the Servant to All
18What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. 19Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.…

Cross References
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Matthew 18:15
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

1 Corinthians 9:1
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?

1 Corinthians 10:29
the other one's conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else's conscience?

2 Corinthians 4:5
For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

2 Corinthians 4:15
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 12:14
See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.


Treasury of Scripture

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.

I be.

1 Corinthians 9:1
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

I made.

1 Corinthians 10:33
Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Matthew 20:26-28
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; …

John 13:14,15
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet…

that.

1 Corinthians 9:20-22
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; …

1 Corinthians 7:16
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

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Belong Bondage Bondman Control Converts Free Gain Hope Human Possible Salvation Servant Slave Win Winning
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1 Corinthians 9
1. He shows his liberty;
7. and that the minister ought to receive a living by the Gospel;
15. yet that himself has of his own accord abstained,
18. to be neither chargeable unto them,
22. nor offensive unto any, in matters indifferent.
24. Our life is like unto a race.














(19) For.--The question is here answered. His reward was to gain the greater number of converts--Jews (1Corinthians 9:20), Gentiles (1Corinthians 9:21), weak ones (1Corinthians 9:22). The only reward he sought for or looked for in adopting that course of conduct, for pursuing which they taunted him with selfishness, was, after all, their good.

The word "For," introducing the answer, would seem to imply that the reward must be a greater one. "For" though an Apostle, I became a slave of all that I might gain the greater number. The words "greater number" probably include the two ideas, viz., a greater number than he could have gained had he used his rights as an Apostle, and also a greater number of converts than was gained by any other Apostle.

Verse 19. - For though I be free; rather, though I was free. He has voluntarily abandoned this freedom. The true rendering of the verse is, For being free from all men [Galatians 1:10], I enslaved myself to all. In acting thus he obeyed his own principle of not abusing his liberty, but "by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Though
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

I am
ὢν (ōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

free of obligation
Ἐλεύθερος (Eleutheros)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1658: Free, delivered from obligation. Probably from the alternate of erchomai; unrestrained, i.e. not a slave, or exempt.

to
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

anyone,
πάντων (pantōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

I make myself a slave
ἐδούλωσα (edoulōsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1402: To enslave. From doulos; to enslave.

to everyone,
πᾶσιν (pasin)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

win
κερδήσω (kerdēsō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2770: To gain, acquire, win (over), avoid loss. From kerdos; to gain.

as many as possible.
πλείονας (pleionas)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I was free from all (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 9:18
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