# 1 Corinthians 9.21 **Book:** [1 Corinthians](/codex/1-corinthians/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 19. For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; > > **21. to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.** > > 22. To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23. And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 19. For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; > > **21. to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.** > > 22. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23. Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 19. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; > > **21. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.** > > 22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 19. for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain; 20. and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain; > > **21. to those without law, as without law, (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ), that I might gain those without law;** > > 22. I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some. 23. And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become; (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** _TBD_ - **Audience:** _TBD_ - **Location:** _TBD_ - **Time period:** _TBD_ ## Theological reading _Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._ ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Christians Not Under Mosaic Law](/codex/christians-not-under-mosaic-law/) - [Mosaic Law Binding for True Israelites Objection Defeater](/codex/mosaic-law-binding-for-true-israelites-objection-defeater/), via [1 Corinthians 9.19-22](/codex/1-corinthians-9-19-22/) **Concepts:** - [Grace vs Law](/codex/grace-vs-law/) - [Mosaic Law](/codex/mosaic-law/) - [Ritual Purity Laws Objection](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection/) **Lexicon:** - [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/) --- _Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.