# 1 Corinthians 9.25

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-18 | updated: 2026-08-18 -->

**Book:** [1 Corinthians](/codex/1-corinthians/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 23. And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. 24. Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
>
> **25. And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.**
>
> 26. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27. but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 23. Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. 24. Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.
>
> **25. Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.**
>
> 26. I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air, 27. but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 23. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
>
> **25. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.**
>
> 26. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 23. And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become; 24. have ye not known that those running in a race, all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;
>
> **25. and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;**
>
> 26. I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air; 27. but I chastise my body, and bring [it] into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others, I myself may become disapproved. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, 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._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Passages:**

- [1 Thessalonians 2.19](/codex/1-thessalonians-2-19/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## 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.
