1 Corinthians 9:6
New International Version
Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?

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

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

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

Berean Literal Bible
Or only I and Barnabas, have we no authority not to work?

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

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

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

NASB 1995
Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?

NASB 1977
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?

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

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

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

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Or is it only BarNaba and I who have no authority not to labor?

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

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

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Or is it only Barnabas and I who don't have any rights, except to find work to support ourselves?

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

International Standard Version
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living?

Literal Standard Version
Or do only Barnabas and I have no authority not to work?

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

New American Bible
Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work?

NET Bible
Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Rights of an Apostle
5Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living? 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?…

Cross References
Acts 4:36
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),

1 Corinthians 11:16
If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

2 Corinthians 11:8
I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Barnabas.

Acts 4:36
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Acts 11:22
Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Acts 13:1,2,50
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul…

have.

1 Corinthians 4:11,12
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; …

Acts 18:3
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Acts 20:34,35
Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me…

Jump to Previous
Alone Authority Barnabas Forbear Hands Liberty Power Refrain Rest Right Work Working
Jump to Next
Alone Authority Barnabas Forbear Hands Liberty Power Refrain Rest Right Work Working
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.














(6) Or I only and Barnabas.--"Or" here does not introduce a question which implies a new right in addition to the rights already claimed, but it completes the argument. Granting the existence of the rights established by the previous questions, the Apostle now says--still preserving the interrogative form--"These things being so, the only way you can possibly do away with this right is by making exceptions of myself and Barnabas." The form in which the question is put shows the impossibility of any such arbitrary exception being made. They as well as the others had the right to abstain from working for their living. Barnabas' early association with St. Paul (Acts 11:30; Acts 12:25; Acts 15:38) probably led him to adopt the Apostle's practice of supporting himself, and not being dependent on his fellow-Christians. The word "only" implies that all the other Apostles and brethren of the Lord exercised their right of maintenance by the Church.

Verse 6. - And Barnabas. Like St. Paul, Barnabas was in every respect a genuine apostle, by the Divine call (Acts 13:2; Galatians 2:9), though not one of the twelve. He seems to have continued in his separate mission work the practice of independence which he had learnt from St. Paul. This allusion is interesting, because it is the last time that the name of Barnabas occurs, and it shows that, even after the quarrel and separation, Paul regarded him with love and esteem. To forbear working. To give up the manual labour by which we maintain ourselves without any expense to the Churches (Acts 18:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 9). If, then, St. Paul toiled at the dull, mechanical, despised, and ill paid work of tent making, he did so, not because it was, in the abstract, his duty to earn his own living, but because he chose to be nobly independent, that the absolute disinterestedness of his motives might be manifest to all the world. For this reason even when he was most in need he would never receive assistance from any Church except that of Philippi, where he had at least one wealthy convert, and where he was beloved with a peculiar warmth of affection.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Or {are}
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

Barnabas
Βαρνάβας (Barnabas)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 921: Of Chaldee origin; son of Nabas; Barnabas, an Israelite.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

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

the only [ apostles ]
μόνος (monos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3441: Only, solitary, desolate. Probably from meno; remaining, i.e. Sole or single; by implication, mere.

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

work for a living?
ἐργάζεσθαι (ergazesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 2038: To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.


Links
1 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
1 Corinthians 9:6 NLT
1 Corinthians 9:6 ESV
1 Corinthians 9:6 NASB
1 Corinthians 9:6 KJV

1 Corinthians 9:6 BibleApps.com
1 Corinthians 9:6 Biblia Paralela
1 Corinthians 9:6 Chinese Bible
1 Corinthians 9:6 French Bible
1 Corinthians 9:6 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 9:6 Or have only Barnabas and I no (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 9:5
Top of Page
Top of Page