1 COR 9:7 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Who serves as a soldier at any time at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock?

UST No soldiers ever pay with their own money to serve in the army. No farmers plant vines and then do not eat what the vines produce. No shepherds take care of sheep and then do not drink the milk that they produce.

BLB Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock?

AICNT Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink the milk of the flock?

OEB Does anyone ever serve as a soldier at his own expense? Does anyone plant a vineyard and not eat its produce? Or does anyone look after a herd and not drink the milk?

WEBBE What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?

LSV Who serves as a soldier at his own expense at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

FBV Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?

TCNT Who at any time serves as a soldier while supplying his own provisions? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat [fn]of its fruit? [fn]Or who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

9:7 of ¦ — CT

9:7 Or who ¦ Who SBL

T4T Soldiers certainly do not pay their own wages. [RHQ] Those who plant a vineyard would certainly eat some of the grapes when they become ripe. [RHQ] Those who care for sheep would certainly drink the milk from those sheep. [RHQ] Similarly, those who tell others about Christ certainly have a right to receive ◄financial help/food► from the people to whom they preach.

LEB Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Who[fn] shepherds a flock and does not drink[fn] from the milk of the flock?

9:7 Some manuscripts have “Or who”

9:7 Literally “eat”

BBE Who ever goes to war without looking to someone to be responsible for his payment? who puts in vines and does not take the fruit of them? or who takes care of sheep without drinking of their milk?

Moff Does a soldier provide his own supplies? Does a man plant a vineyard without eating its produce? Does a shepherd get no drink from the milk of the flock?

Wymth What soldier ever serves at his own cost? Who plants a vineyard and yet does not eat any of the grapes? Or who tends a herd of cattle and yet does not taste their milk?

ASV What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

DRA Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

YLT who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

Drby Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

RV What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
(What soldier ever serveth/serves at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flock? )

SLT Who makes war at any time at his own charges who plants a vineyard, and eats not of its fruit or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

Wbstr Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

KJB-1769 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
(Who goeth/goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flock? )

KJB-1611 Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruite thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?
(Who goeth/goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flocke?)

Bshps Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne cost? Who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruite therof? Or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?
(Who goeth/goes a warfare any time at his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flocke?)

Gnva Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coste? who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?
(Who goeth/goes a warfare any time at his own coste? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flocke? )

Cvdl Who goeth a warfare at eny tyme vpon his awne wages? Who planteth a vynyarde, and eateth not of the frute therof? Who fedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the mylke of the flocke?
(Who goeth/goes a warfare at any time upon his own wages? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth/feeds a flock, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flocke?)

TNT who goeth a warfare eny tyme at his awne cost? who planteth a vynearde and eateth not of the frute? Who fedeth a flocke and eateth not of the mylke?
(who goeth/goes a warfare any time at his own cost? who planteth a vynearde and eateth/eats not of the frute? Who feedeth/feeds a flock and eateth/eats not of the mylke? )

Wycl Who traueilith ony tyme with hise owne wagis? Who plauntith a vynyerd, and etith not of his fruyt? Who kepith a flok, and etith not of the mylk of the flok?
(Who travaileth/travails any time with his own wagis? Who plauntith a vineyard, and eateth/eats not of his fruyt? Who keepeth/keeps a flok, and eateth/eats not of the milk of the flok?)

Luth Welcher zieht jemals in den Krieg auf seinen eigenen Sold? Welcher pflanzet einen Weinberg und isset nicht von seiner Frucht, oder welcher weidet eine Herde und isset nicht von der Milch der Herde?
(Which pullt yemals in the war/battle on/in/to his own Sold? Which plants a vineyard and eating not from his fruit, or which grazes a/one herd and eating not from the/of_the milk the/of_the herd?)

ClVg Quis militat suis stipendiis umquam? quis plantat vineam, et de fructu ejus non edit? quis pascit gregem, et de lacte gregis non manducat?[fn]
(Who militat to_his_own stipendiis ever/at_any_time? who/any plant(n)t vineyard, and from/about fruit his not/no edit? who/any feeds flock, and from/about milk flock not/no eats? )

9.7 Quis militat. Ne, quia abstinet, coapostolos reprehendisse videretur, addit: Quis militat. CHRYS. Quis plantat vineam, et de fructu ejus non edit? Per illud pericula; hoc autem laborem et miseriam multam et curam ostendit, et tertium item addit exemplum his verbis. Quis pascit, etc. ID. Multam diligentiam, et magistro debitam erga subditos ostendit. Quod ex his apparet: Etenim milites, et agricolæ, et pastores erant apostoli, non bellorum, neque terræ, neque brutorum animantium, sed ratione præditarum animarum, et ejus exercitus qui adversus dæmones armatur. Et de lacte. Lac gregis dicitur quidquid a plebe præpositis datur.

9.7 Who militat. Ne, because abstinet, coapostolos reprehendisse it_would_seem, adds: Who militat. CHRYS. Who plant(n)t vineyard, and from/about fruit his not/no edit? Per it/this/that dangers; this however work and misery a_lot and care he_showed, and third item adds exemplum his with_words. Who feeds, etc. ID. Manym diligentiam, and magistro due towards subjects he_showed. That from his appears: Indeed soldiers, and fieldscolæ, and shepherds they_were apostles, not/no wars, nor of_the_earth/land, nor brutorum animantium, but by_reason beforeditarum of_souls, and his army who/which against demons weaponstur. And from/about milk. Lac flock it_is_said whatever from plebe beforepositis given.

UGNT τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ? τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει? ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης, οὐκ ἐσθίει?
(tis strateuetai idiois opsōniois pote? tis futeuei ampelōna, kai ton karpon autou ouk esthiei? aʸ tis poimainei poimnaʸn, kai ek tou galaktos taʸs poimnaʸs, ouk esthiei?)

SBL-GNT τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα καὶ ⸂τὸν καρπὸν⸃ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; ⸀τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει;
(tis strateuetai idiois opsōniois pote; tis futeuei ampelōna kai ⸂ton karpon⸃ autou ouk esthiei; ⸀tis poimainei poimnaʸn kai ek tou galaktos taʸs poimnaʸs ouk esthiei;)

RP-GNT Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; Ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει;
(Tis strateuetai idiois opsōniois pote; Tis futeuei ampelōna, kai ek tou karpou autou ouk esthiei; Aʸ tis poimainei poimnaʸn, kai ek tou galaktos taʸs poimnaʸs ouk esthiei;)

TC-GNT Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ [fn]ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; [fn]Ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει;
(Tis strateuetai idiois opsōniois pote; Tis futeuei ampelōna, kai ek tou karpou autou ouk esthiei; Aʸ tis poimainei poimnaʸn, kai ek tou galaktos taʸs poimnaʸs ouk esthiei; )

9:7 εκ του καρπου ¦ τον καρπον CT

9:7 η ¦ — SBL

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:1–27: Paul did not use his rights as an apostle

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

Paragraph 9:3–7

In this paragraph Paul discussed his right to receive food and drink from the people he served. He used three examples from everyday life to illustrate his argument.

9:7a-c

In this verse Paul gave three examples of workers who receive a salary or benefit from their work. He said this to show that apostles should also receive a salary from their work.

9:7a

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?

Do soldiers pay their own salaries?
While a man is fighting as a soldier, he does not have to support himself.

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?: This is the first of three rhetorical questions in 9:7. Paul used this rhetorical question as a statement. He expected them to respond, “No one.” He said that soldiers do not pay their own salary.

Here are some ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Do soldiers pay their own salaries? (CEV)
Did you ever hear of a man serving in the army at his own expense? (REB)
Use a rhetorical question with its own response. For example:
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? No one.
Use a statement. For example:
No soldier ever serves in the army and pays his own salary. (NCV)

Translate this statement in a way that is most natural in your language.

soldier: In some languages it may be more natural to refer to “soldiers” in the plural, rather than soldier. See examples in the notes.

9:7b

Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?

Don’t people who plant grape vines eat some of the grapes?
And when a person takes care of fruit trees, he has the right to eat their fruit.

Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?: This is the second of three rhetorical questions in 9:7. Paul used this rhetorical question as a statement. He expected them to respond, “No one.” Paul said that a person who plants a vineyard can eat some of the fruit.

Here are some ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Does anyone plant a vineyard and not eat the grapes? (GW)
Don’t people who raise grapes eat some of what they grow? (CEV)
What farmers do not eat the grapes from their own vineyard? (GNT)
Use a rhetorical question with its own response. For example:
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? No one.
Use a statement. For example:
No one ever plants a vineyard without eating some of the grapes. (NCV)

vineyard: A vineyard is a field where people grow grapes. Grapes are a small, sweet fruit that people commonly grew in ancient Israel. They used them to make wine. The plant that grapes grow on is a vine with a woody trunk like a shrub or tree. The trunk and its branches grow along the ground unless they are supported.

Here are some other ways to refer to a vineyard:

grape farm

field of grape vines/plants/trees

In some languages there may not be a word for vineyard or for “grape.” If that is true in your language, here are two other options to consider:

Borrow the word for “grape” from another language and add a general expression that describes what a vineyard is. For example:
farm for producing a fruit called grapes
field for growing/cultivating fruit from grape vines
Use a general word for fruit that would fit in this context. For example:
farm/field to produce a fruit used to make wine

fruit: The Greek word that the BSB translates as fruit is a general word, but in this context it is clear that it refers specifically to “grapes” from the vineyard. So, it is possible to translate this as:

grapes (NIV)

Vineyards and grapes are spoken of figuratively in many places in the Bible. You may want to look at these other contexts as you decide how to translate these words. Here are some passages that refer to vineyards: Isaiah 5:1–7, Genesis 9:20, and Matthew 20:1. Here are some passages that refer to grapes: Genesis 40:10–11, Isaiah 5:2, and Matthew 7:16.

9:7c

Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

Don’t people who take care of sheep/goats, drink some of the milk?
And if a person raises animals, he has the right to use the milk that he gets from them.

Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?: This is the third of three rhetorical questions in 9:7. Paul used this rhetorical question as a statement. He expected them to respond, “No one.” Paul said that people who take care of animals benefit from them by using their milk.

Here are some ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? (NLT)
Don’t shepherds get milk from their own goats? (CEV)
Use a rhetorical question with its own response. For example:
Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? No one.
Use a statement. For example:
No person takes care of a flock without drinking some of the milk. (NCV)

Translate this statement in a way that is most natural in your language

tends a flock: The phrase tends a flock normally refers to taking care of sheep. Many English versions use a general term like flock. If people in your culture use the milk of goats but not that of sheep, it is recommended that you translate it in this way. For example:

Don’t shepherds get milk from their own goats? (CEV)

drink of its milk: If people in your culture drink the milk of cattle but not of goats or sheep, it may be necessary to make this question more general. For example:

Don’t people drink the milk from the animals they care for?

If drinking of milk is unknown in your culture, it is possible to use a more general reference. For example:

Doesn’t the person who cares for the animals get his share?

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ? τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει? ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης, οὐκ ἐσθίει?

who (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα καί τόν καρπόν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει Ἤ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην καί ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει)

Paul does not ask these questions because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks them to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The questions assume that the answer to all of them is “no one.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express these questions by stating the ideas with strong negations. Alternate translation: [No one serves as a soldier at any time at his own expense. No one plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit. No one shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἰδίοις

˱to˲_˓his˒_own

Here, his is masculine because most soldiers in Paul’s culture were male. However, Paul is not emphasizing the gender of soldiers here. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express his with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [his or her own]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις

˱to˲_˓his˒_own support

Here, expense refers to the cost of food, weapons, and lodging for a solider to “serve.” Paul’s point is that soldiers do not pay these costs. Rather, the one who controls the army pays these costs. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express expense by clarifying that it refers to the costs of maintaining an army. Alternate translation: [by paying for his own cost of living]

Parallel 1 COR 9:7

Section 9:1–27: Paul did not use his rights as an apostle

Paragraph 9:3–7

9:7a-c

9:7a

9:7b

9:7c

Parallel 1 COR 9:7