1 Corinthians 9:17
New International Version
If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to 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.

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.

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.

Berean Literal Bible
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship.

King James Bible
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.

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.

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.

NASB 1995
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

NASB 1977
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.

Amplified Bible
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.

Christian Standard Bible
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a commission.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if I do this with my pleasure, I have a reward, but if without my pleasure, I am entrusted with a stewardship.

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.

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:

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If I spread the Good News willingly, I'll have a reward. But if I spread the Good News unwillingly, I'm [only] doing what I've been entrusted to do.

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.

International Standard Version
For if I preach voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with that obligation.

Literal Standard Version
for if I do this willingly, I have a reward; and if unwillingly—I have been entrusted with a stewardship!

Majority Standard Bible
If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

New American Bible
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

NET Bible
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.

New 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.

New Heart 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.

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.

Weymouth New Testament
And if I preach willingly, I receive my wages; but if against my will, a stewardship has nevertheless been entrusted to me.

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.

Young's Literal Translation
for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Rights of an Apostle
16Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. 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.…

Cross References
John 4:36
Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.

1 Corinthians 3:8
He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

1 Corinthians 3:14
If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

1 Corinthians 4:1
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1 Corinthians 9:18
What 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.

Galatians 2:7
On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.

Ephesians 3:2
Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,


Treasury of Scripture

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.

if I.

1 Chronicles 28:9
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

1 Chronicles 29:5,9,14
The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD? …

Nehemiah 11:2
And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

have.

1 Corinthians 3:8,14
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour…

Matthew 10:41
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

against.

Exodus 4:13,14
And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send…

Jeremiah 20:9
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Ezekiel 3:14
So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

dispensation.

1 Corinthians 9:16
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Matthew 24:25
Behold, I have told you before.

Jump to Previous
Administration Commission Committed Discharging Dispensation Entrusted Gladly Gospel Intrusted Nevertheless Orders Preach Receive Reward Simply Stewardship Trust Voluntarily Wages Willing Willingly
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Administration Commission Committed Discharging Dispensation Entrusted Gladly Gospel Intrusted Nevertheless Orders Preach Receive Reward Simply Stewardship Trust Voluntarily Wages Willing Willingly
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.














(17) For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.--The previous words, "Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel," are a parenthesis; and now the writer proves the truth of his assertion--that the necessity of preaching the gospel deprives the mere act itself of any grounds of boasting--by showing that if there were no necessity there would be a ground of boasting. The argument is this:--Suppose it to be otherwise, and that there is no such necessity, then, by voluntarily undertaking it, I have a reward. The undertaking it of my own free will would entitle me to a reward. But if (as is the case) not of my free will, but of necessity, then I am merely a steward--a slave doing his duty (1Corinthians 4:1; Luke 17:7-10).

A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.--Better, I am entrusted with a stewardship.

Verse 17. - If I do this thing willingly. The word rather means "spontaneously;" "without compulsion." He was preaching willingly, but still it was in obedience to an irresistible behest (Acts 9:6, 15). I have a reward. The reward (or rather, "wage ") of such self chosen work would be the power to fulfil it (comp. Matthew 6:1). Against my will; rather, involuntarily, "under Divine constraint." A dispensation. He was appointed a "steward" or "dispenser" of the gospel, and could only regard himself at the best as "an unprofitable slave," who had done merely what it was his bare duty to do (Luke 17:10). There is no merit in yielding to a must.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

my
πράσσω (prassō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4238: To do, perform, accomplish; be in any condition, i.e. I fare; I exact, require.

[preaching]
τοῦτο (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

[is] voluntary,
ἑκὼν (hekōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1635: Willing, willingly, voluntarily. Of uncertain affinity; voluntary.

I have
ἔχω (echō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

a reward.
μισθὸν (misthon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3408: (a) pay, wages, salary, (b) reward, recompense, punishment. Apparently a primary word; pay for service, good or bad.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

[it is] not voluntary,
ἄκων (akōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 210: Unwilling, generally used where English would express by an adverb: unwillingly. Unwilling.

I am [still] entrusted with
πεπίστευμαι (pepisteumai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

[a] responsibility.
οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3622: Management of household affairs, stewardship, administration. From oikonomos; administration; specially, a 'economy'.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this of my (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 9:16
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