1 Corinthians 9:6

International Standard Version

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?2 Thessalonians 3:8-9;">[xr]

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?

King James Version (1611)
Or I onely and Barnabas, haue not we power to forbeare working?

King James Version
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

English Standard Version
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

New American Standard Bible
Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?

New Century Version
Are Barnabas and I the only ones who must work to earn our living?

Amplified Bible
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop doing manual labor [in order to support our ministry]?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?

Legacy Standard Bible
Or do only Barnabas and I not have authority to refrain from working?

Berean Standard Bible
Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?

Contemporary English Version
Are we the only ones who have to support ourselves by working at another job?

Complete Jewish Bible
Or are Bar-Nabba and I the only ones required to go on working for our living?

Darby Translation
Or *I* alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

Easy-to-Read Version
And are Barnabas and I the only ones who must work to earn our living?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Or I only and Barnabas, haue not we power not to worke?

George Lamsa Translation
Or only I and Barnabas, have not we the right to live without working?

Good News Translation
Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to work for our living?

Lexham English Bible
Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from working?

Literal Translation
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no authority to quit work?

American Standard Version
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?

Bible in Basic English
Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to take a rest from work?

Hebrew Names Version
Or have only Bar-Nabba and I no right to not work?

Etheridge Translation
Or have I only, and Bar Naba, not authority to forbear from labour?

Murdock Translation
Or I only, and Barnabas, have we no right to forbear labor?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Either only I and Barnabas haue not power this to do?

English Revised Version
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?

World English Bible
Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?

Weymouth's New Testament
Or again, is it only Barnabas and myself who are not at liberty to give up working with our hands?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Or Y aloone and Barnabas han not power to worche these thingis?

Update Bible Version
Or only I and Barnabas, do we not have a right to forbear working?

Webster's Bible Translation
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?

New English Translation
Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?

New King James Version
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

New Living Translation
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?

New Life Bible
Are Barnabas and I the only ones who should keep working for a living so we can preach?

New Revised Standard
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Or have, only I and Barnabas, not a right to forbear working?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?

Revised Standard Version
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ether only I and Barnabas have not power this to do?

Young's Literal Translation
or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Or haue onely I and Barnabas not power this to do?

Mace New Testament (1729)
or I and Barnabas, are we only excluded the privilege of not working?

Simplified Cowboy Version
Are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to daywork for our meals?

Contextual Overview

³ This is my defense to those who would examine me: ⁴ We have the right to eat and drink, don't we?1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:9;">[xr] ⁵ We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas,[fn] don't we?Matthew 8:14; 13:55; Mark 6:3; Luke 6:15; Galatians 1:19;">[xr] ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?2 Thessalonians 3:8-9;">[xr] ⁷ Who would ever go to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk?Deuteronomy 20:6; Proverbs 27:13; John 21:15; 1 Corinthians 3:6-8; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3; 4:7; 1 Peter 5:2;">[xr] ⁸ I am not saying this on human authority, am I? The law says the same thing, doesn't it? ⁹ For in the law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain."Deuteronomy 25:4">[fn] God is not only concerned about oxen, is he?Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Timothy 5:18;">[xr] ¹⁰ Isn't he really speaking on our behalf? Yes, this was written on our behalf, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.2 Timothy 2:6;">[xr] ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?Romans 15:27; Galatians 6:6;">[xr] ¹² If others enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.Acts 20:33; 1 Corinthians 9:15,18; 1 Corinthians 20:15,18, 2 Corinthians 11:7,9, 12; 12:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:6;">[xr]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Barnabas: Acts 4:36, Acts 11:22, Acts 13:1, Acts 13:2, Acts 13:50, Acts 14:12, Acts 15:36, Acts 15:37

have: 1 Corinthians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 4:12, Acts 18:3, Acts 20:34, Acts 20:35, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 6:2 - and take thence Nehemiah 10:36 - unto Jeremiah 20:7 - thou art John 21:3 - I go Acts 9:27 - Barnabas Acts 14:14 - the apostles 1 Corinthians 9:18 - when 2 Corinthians 11:7 - in 2 Corinthians 12:13 - I myself Galatians 2:1 - Barnabas 1 Thessalonians 2:6 - when

Cross-References

Matthew 26:52
Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back in its place! For all who use a sword will be killed by a sword.Genesis 9:6; Revelation 13:10;">[xr]

Romans 13:4
For they are God's servants working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to execute wrath on anyone who does wrong.

James 3:9
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in God's likeness.Genesis 1:26; 5:1; 9:6;">[xr]

Revelation 13:10
If anyone is to be taken captive,Genesis 9:6; Isaiah 33:1; Matthew 26:52; Revelation 14:12;">[xr] he must go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, he must be killed with a sword. This is what the endurance and faith of the saints means.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Or I only and Barnabas,.... Who were for a great while companions and fellow travellers; are we alone? are we exempted from those rights and privileges, common to others?

have not we power to forbear working? that is, with their hands, at their trades and occupations, to get their living by: Paul worked at his trade, and so it seems Barnabas did likewise: Paul wrought with his hands at Corinth, in company with Aquila and Priscilla, they being tentmakers as he, Acts 18:3 and so he did in other places; he appeals for the truth of this to the elders of the church at Ephesus, Acts 20:34 and to the church of the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 2:9 not but that he had a right and power to leave off business, to forbear working, and require a maintenance from those to whom he ministered; but for some reasons he chose not to make use of this his power and liberty, because he would not be chargeable to them; and lest that upon his first preaching the Gospel to them, they should think he had worldly selfish ends in view, and not the good of souls, and glory of Christ; however, he hereby lets them know, that though Barnabas and he continued to get their bread by their own hand labour, they had a right to quit their trades, and throw themselves upon them for a maintenance. The apostle seems, in this, to imitate the ancient, wise, and holy men of his nation, who taught the law freely, and took nothing for it; not that they thought it was unlawful, or that they had no right to a maintenance on account of it, but for the honour of religion, and that piety they professed; and lest the law should be thought to be made a trade of, they chose not to insist upon it d.

d Maimon. & Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Or I only and Barnabas - Paul and Barnabas had worked together as tent-makers at Corinth; Acts 18:3. From this fact it had been inferred that they “knew” that they had no claim to a support.

Power to forbear working - To abstain from labor, and to receive support as others do. The question implies a strong affirmation that they had such power. The sense is, ‘Why should I and Barnabas be regarded as having no right to support? Have we been less faithful than others? Have we done less? Have we given fewer evidences that we are sent by the Lord, or that God approves us in our work? Have we been less successful? Why then should we be singled out; and why should it be supposed that we are obliged to labor for our support? “Is there no other conceivable reason” why we should support ourselves than a consciousness that we have no right to support from the people with whom we labor?” It is evident from 1 Corinthians 9:12, that Barnabas as well as Paul relinquished his right to a support, and labored to maintain himself. And it is manifest from the whole passage, that there was some special “spleen” (“Doddridge”) against these two ministers of the gospel. What it was we know not. It might have arisen from the enmity and opposition of Judaizing teachers, who were offended at their zeal and success among the Gentiles, and who could find no other cause of complaint against them than that they chose to support themselves, and not live in idleness, or to tax the church for their support. That must have been a bad cause which was sustained by such an argument.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 9:6. Or I only and Barnabas — Have we alone of all the apostles no right to be supported by our converts? It appears from this,

1. That the apostles did not generally support themselves by their own labour.

2. That Paul and Barnabas did thus support themselves.

Some of the others probably had not a business at which they could conveniently work; but Paul and Barnabas had a trade at which they could conveniently labour wherever they came.