Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
1 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
1 Cor 9 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27
OET (OET-LV) For/Because in the of_Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh) law, it_has_been_written:
Not will_be_muzzling an_ox threshing.
Not for_the oxen is_caring the with_god?
OET (OET-RV) He wrote in those laws: ‘Don’t prevent the ox from eating when it’s working to thresh the grain.’
In this section Paul responded to a claim by some of the Corinthians that he was not an apostle. First, he defended his calling and work as an apostle. Then he used himself as an example of someone who did not use his rights.
In chapter 8 and chapter 10 Paul talked about food offered to idols. In this chapter Paul said that he was an example of somebody who had the right to do anything. He was thinking about the right to eat any kind of food. Out of love for others he refrained from doing things that he had a right to do. Instead, he tried to act in a way that would lead others to Christ.
Other possible section headings include:
Paul’s rights as an apostle
Paul's example of not using his rights
In this paragraph Paul explained that God in the Scriptures has taught that church leaders should receive food and drink for themselves from their work. So, Paul and his fellow workers could expect the Corinthians to give them food and drink.
For it is written in the Law of Moses:
For in the Law Moses wrote this:
For we(incl) read in the Law of Moses:
For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces evidence that the Law of Moses teaches the same thing about this as human wisdom. The evidence Paul provided is a quotation from the Law.
Some English versions do not translate this conjunction.
In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.
it is written in the Law of Moses: The formula it is written is often used to introduce a quotation from the Holy Scriptures. See, for example, 1:19 and 2:9a. Other ways to translate this include:
in the law of Moses we read (REB)
the law of Moses says (NLT)
“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”
“When you use an ox/cow to thresh the grain, you must not tie its mouth shut to keep it from eating some of the grain.”
“You must not prevent an ox/animal from eating while it is working/treading/threshing the grain.”
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain: This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4. In that time, after people cut the grain in the field, they brought it to a flat place and spread it out. Then they made animals such as oxen walk on it so that the seeds would separate from the stalks. If a farmer wanted to keep his animals from eating the grain, he tied their mouths shut. But the law Paul quoted said that the animals should be allowed to eat some of the grain.
Some English versions make it explicit that the purpose of muzzling is to prevent the ox from eating the grain. For example:
You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain (NLT)
treading out: The Greek word that the BSB translates as treading out is more literally “threshing.” Threshing is the process of removing the seeds from the plants. Some English versions use this word.
Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain. (GNT)
It may be more natural in some languages to translate this using indirect speech. For example:
The Law of Moses tells us not to muzzle an ox when it is threshing grain
Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
Did God make that law because he cared about the oxen?
God was not only concerned about oxen.
Is it about oxen that God is concerned?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used it as a statement. He expected them to respond, “No.” Paul stated that God was not thinking primarily about the well-being of oxen. Several English versions supply the word “only,” because God is concerned about animals as well as people.
Here are some ways to translate this statement:
Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? (NLT)
Use a question with the answer supplied. For example:
When God said this, was he thinking only about oxen? No. (NCV)
Use a statement. For example:
When God said this he was not only concerned about oxen
Translate this statement in the way that is most natural in your language.
Note 1 topic: writing-quotations
ἐν γὰρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ, γέγραπται
in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
In Paul’s culture, For it is written is a normal way to introduce a quotation from an important text. In this case, Paul clarifies that the quote comes from the law of Moses. It is specifically from [Deuteronomy 25:4](../deu/25/04.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express how Paul introduces the quotation with a comparable phrase that indicates that Paul is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: [For it can be read in the law of Moses] or [For in the book of Deuteronomy, in the law of Moses we read]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἐν & τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ, γέγραπται
in & the ˱of˲_Moses law ˱it˲_˓has_been˒_written
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on what is written rather than focusing on the person doing the “writing.” If you must state who does the action, you can express it so that: (1) the scripture author writes or speaks the words. Alternate translation: [Moses has written in the law] (2) God speaks the words. Alternate translation: [God has said in the law of Moses]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations
Μωϋσέως & οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα
˱of˲_Moses & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
If your language does not use this form, you can translate the command as an indirect quote instead of as a direct quote. Alternate translation: [of Moses that you should not muzzle an ox treading out grain]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular
οὐ φιμώσεις
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
The command from the law of Moses is addressed to specific individuals. Because of this, the command is in the singular.
Note 5 topic: translate-unknown
οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
In Paul’s culture, farmers often would make oxen walk or “tread” on harvested wheat to separate the kernels of grain from the wheat stalks. Some people would muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain in order to keep the ox from eating the grain. The point of the command is that the ox should be allowed to eat what it is working to produce: the grain. If your readers would not understand what this command is about, you could include a footnote explaining the context or add a short clarifying phrase. Alternate translation: [Do not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating the grain it is treading out]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the answer is “no, he does not.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a strong negation. Alternate translation: [God does not care about the oxen.]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐν Γάρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται Οὒ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα Μή τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ)
Here Paul speaks as if God has no concern or interest in oxen. The Corinthians would have understood him to mean that the primary intent of the command he quotes is not about caring for oxen but rather caring for something or someone else. He specifies what the primary intent of the command is in the next verse: it is for our sake ([9:9](../09/09.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could soften Paul’s question so that it argues that the command is not “primarily” or “mostly” about oxen. If possible, however, maintain the strength of Paul’s statement, since he offers an explanation in the next verse. Alternate translation: [God does not mostly care about the oxen, does he]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because in the of_Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh) law, it_has_been_written:
Not will_be_muzzling an_ox threshing.
Not for_the oxen is_caring the with_god?
OET (OET-RV) He wrote in those laws: ‘Don’t prevent the ox from eating when it’s working to thresh the grain.’
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.