1 Corinthians 9:15

1 Corinthians 9:15

13 ^aDo you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the ^btemple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?

14 Even so ^athe Lord has commanded ^bthat those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

15 But ^aI have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for ^bit would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.

16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for ^anecessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

17 For if I do this willingly, ^aI have a reward; but if against my will, ^bI have been entrusted with a stewardship.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< 1 Corinthians 9:14

1 Corinthians 9:16 >>

For it were good for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void (kalon gar moi mallon apoqanein h to kauxhma mou oudeiv kenwsei). The tangled syntax of this sentence reflects the intensity of Paul's feeling on the subject. He repeats his refusal to use his privileges and rights to a salary by use of the present perfect middle indicative (kexrhmai). By the epistolary aorist (egraya) he explains that he is not now hinting for a change on their part towards him in the matter, "in my case" (en emoi). Then he gives his reason in vigorous language without a copula (hn, were): "For good for me to die rather than," but here he changes the construction by a violent anacoluthon. Instead of another infinitive (kenwsai) after h (than) he changes to the future indicative without oti or ina, "No one shall make my glorying void," viz., his independence of help from them. Kenow is an old verb, from kenov, empty, only in Paul in N.T. See on I Corinthians 1:17.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Corinthians 9:15:**

2 Timothy 1:3
1 Peter 5:12

<< 1 Corinthians 9:14

1 Corinthians 9:16 >>

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