1 Corinthians 9:16
New International Version
For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

New Living Translation
Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!

English Standard Version
For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Berean Standard Bible
Yet 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!

Berean Literal Bible
For if I preach the gospel, there is no boasting to me, for necessity is laid upon me. But woe be to me if I should not preach the gospel.

King James Bible
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!

New King James Version
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

New American Standard Bible
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

NASB 1995
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

NASB 1977
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

Legacy Standard Bible
For if I proclaim the gospel, I have nothing to boast, for I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not proclaim the gospel.

Amplified Bible
For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]!

Christian Standard Bible
For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach —and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

American Standard Version
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For also, I have no pride as I preach The Good News, for necessity is laid upon me, but woe to me, unless I shall preach The Good News!

Contemporary English Version
I don't have any reason to brag about preaching the good news. Preaching is something God told me to do, and if I don't do it, I am doomed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

English Revised Version
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If I spread the Good News, I have nothing to brag about because I have an obligation to do this. How horrible it will be for me if I don't spread the Good News!

Good News Translation
I have no right to boast just because I preach the gospel. After all, I am under orders to do so. And how terrible it would be for me if I did not preach the gospel!

International Standard Version
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't preach the gospel!

Literal Standard Version
for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid on me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

Majority Standard Bible
Yet 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!

New American Bible
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!

NET Bible
For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

New Revised Standard Version
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!

New Heart English Bible
For if I proclaim the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I do not proclaim the Good News.

Webster's Bible Translation
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!

Weymouth New Testament
If I go on preaching the Good News, that is nothing for me to boast of; for the necessity is imposed upon me; and alas for me, if I fail to preach it!

World English Bible
For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about, for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News.

Young's Literal Translation
for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Rights of an Apostle
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast. 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! 17If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 12:23
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

Acts 4:20
For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

Acts 9:15
"Go!" said the Lord. "This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.

Romans 1:14
I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.

1 Corinthians 4:15
Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:12
If others have this right to your support, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:14
In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.


Treasury of Scripture

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid on me; yes, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!

I have.

Romans 4:2
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Romans 15:17
I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

for.

Jeremiah 1:17
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

Jeremiah 20:7,9
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me…

Amos 3:8
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

woe.

Isaiah 6:5
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Luke 9:62
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Colossians 4:17
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Jump to Previous
Alas Announce Boast Boasting Cause Compelled Compulsion Curse Fail Forced Gives Glad Glory Glorying Good Gospel Ground Imposed Laid Necessity News Preach Preacher Preaching Pride Proclaim Tidings Wo Woe
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Alas Announce Boast Boasting Cause Compelled Compulsion Curse Fail Forced Gives Glad Glory Glorying Good Gospel Ground Imposed Laid Necessity News Preach Preacher Preaching Pride Proclaim Tidings Wo Woe
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.














(16) For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.--Better, For though I preach the gospel, I have no ground of boasting. St. Paul proceeds now to show how his maintenance by the Church would deprive him of his right to boast or glory in his work. The mere preaching of the gospel supplies no ground of boasting; it is a necessity; God's woe would await him in the judgment-if he did not so. A man can have no ground of boasting in doing that which he must do.

Verse 16. -

1 have nothing to glory of. He is desirous to remove all appearance of haughtiness from his tone. There was, he says, no merit involved in his preaching the gospel. He did so from the sense of overwhelming moral compulsion, and he would have been miserable if he had tried to resist it. Necessity is laid upon me. "We cannot but speak" (Acts 4:20).

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

when
Ἐὰν (Ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

I preach the gospel,
εὐαγγελίζωμαι (euangelizōmai)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2097: From eu and aggelos; to announce good news especially the gospel.

I
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

have
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

no reason
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

to boast,
καύχημα (kauchēma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2745: A boasting; a ground of boasting (glorying, exultation). From kauchaomai; a boast in a good or a bad sense.

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

I
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

am obligated [to preach].
ἀνάγκη (anankē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 318: From ana and the base of agkale; constraint; by implication, distress.

Woe
οὐαὶ (ouai)
Interjection
Strong's 3759: Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; 'woe'.

to me
μοί (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

I do not preach the gospel!
εὐαγγελίσωμαι (euangelisōmai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2097: From eu and aggelos; to announce good news especially the gospel.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the Good News (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 9:15
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