1 Corinthians 9:3 kjv
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
1 Corinthians 9:3 nkjv
My defense to those who examine me is this:
1 Corinthians 9:3 niv
This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.
1 Corinthians 9:3 esv
This is my defense to those who would examine me.
1 Corinthians 9:3 nlt
This is my answer to those who question my authority.
1 Corinthians 9 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | Directly states a similar concept of the gospel's perception. |
| 2 Corinthians 4:4 | The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that gives glory of Christ, who is the image of God. | Explains the spiritual blindness related to perishing. |
| John 3:19 | This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were wicked. | Links rejection of truth to a preference for darkness. |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:10 | and in every way with all kinds of unholy deception, not only to those who are perishing but also to those who believe, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. | Attributes perishing to refusal to love the truth. |
| Acts 13:46 | Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles." | Connects rejection of the Word to unworthiness of eternal life. |
| John 12:40 | For he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” | Cites Isaiah 6:10, attributing spiritual blindness to God in response to rejection. |
| Isaiah 6:10 | "Go, tell this people: “ ‘Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not comprehend.’ | Old Testament root of spiritual hardening when people turn away from God's truth. |
| Matthew 13:15 | For this people’s heart has become dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I should heal them. | Repeats the Isaiah prophecy concerning misunderstanding and turning away. |
| Romans 11:8 | as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this very day.” | Echoes the Isaiah passage regarding a divine hardening. |
| 2 Corinthians 3:14 | But their minds were hardened. Until this day the same veil remains at the reading of the Old Testament, it has not been removed, because it is only in Christ that it is taken away. | Refers to a veil over the Old Testament understanding, removed in Christ. |
| Philippians 1:27 | whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. | Implies a way of life connected to the gospel. |
| Galatians 1:6-7 | I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. | Addresses distortion of the gospel. |
| 1 Peter 4:17 | For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? | Links disobedience to the gospel with judgment. |
| Revelation 7:15 | Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. | Contrasts those who are saved and serve God. |
| John 10:27-28 | My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. | Assurance of eternal life and security for believers. |
| Hebrews 10:39 | But we do not belong to those who backslide and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are preserved. | Contrasts perseverance in faith with destruction. |
| Romans 8:30 | And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. | Highlights the divine chain of salvation for believers. |
| Ephesians 2:8-9 | For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. | Emphasizes salvation as a gift of grace through faith. |
| 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 | but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | Repeats the perceived foolishness of the cross for some, but power for others. |
| 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 | For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma from death to death; to the other an aroma from life to life. | Uses the metaphor of aroma, received differently based on spiritual state. |
1 Corinthians 9 verses
1 Corinthians 9 3 Meaning
The verse states that if the gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. This means that the inability of some to understand or accept the gospel is linked to their spiritual state of destruction or eternal damnation. Their perishing is the reason for the veiling of the truth of the gospel to them.
1 Corinthians 9 3 Context
This verse is part of a larger argument in 1 Corinthians 9 where Paul defends his apostolic authority and his right to receive financial support from the churches he ministers to. He uses various analogies and arguments, including his own voluntary renunciation of his rights for the sake of the gospel's spread. This specific verse explains why some people do not understand or accept the message of the gospel Paul preaches. He asserts that the "veiling" is not due to any inherent deficiency in the gospel message itself, but rather a consequence of the spiritual condition of the listeners, specifically those headed for destruction. The Corinthian church was facing divisions and confusion, and Paul’s arguments here aim to bring clarity and reinforce foundational truths.
1 Corinthians 9 3 Word Analysis
Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν (ei de kai esti): "But if even it is."
- Εἰ (ei): "If." Introduces a conditional clause.
- δὲ (de): "But." A conjunction indicating contrast or transition, connecting to the previous discussion.
- καὶ (kai): "Even," or "also." Emphasizes that the following statement is true even under certain conditions.
- ἔστιν (esti): "it is." The third-person singular present indicative of εἰμί (eimi), "to be."
κεκαλυμμένος (kekalymmenos): "veiled."
- A perfect passive participle from καλύπτω (kalyptō), meaning "to cover," "to hide," or "to veil." The perfect tense suggests a state resulting from a past action, meaning the veil is on. This implies a continuous condition.
εἰς (eis): "to." A preposition indicating direction or target.
τοὺς ἀπολλυμένους (tous apollymenous): "those who are perishing."
- τοὺς (tous): The definite article "the," in the masculine accusative plural, pointing to a specific group.
- ἀπολλυμένους (apollymenous): The present passive participle of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi), meaning "to destroy," "to lose," "to perish." Here, used substantively, referring to "the ones who are perishing." The present tense signifies an ongoing process or a state of being destined for perishing. It speaks of a spiritual doom that is presently actualized in their rejection of truth.
1 Corinthians 9 3 Bonus Section
The concept of a spiritual veil or hardening is echoed in other parts of Scripture, particularly concerning Israel's reception of the gospel in Old Testament times, as Paul himself references from Isaiah 6:10. This hardening or veiling is often presented not as a arbitrary act of God, but as a consequence of repeated rejection of His truth and His messengers. It’s a state where the blindness becomes pervasive. Scholars discuss that the term "perishing" (apollymenous) can describe both a present ongoing process and a future final outcome, underscoring the gravity of not responding to the gospel. The gospel’s message is compared to a "pleasing aroma" (2 Cor 2:15-16), which is either life-giving or deadly depending on the state of the one who encounters it, similar to how light can be blinding to eyes unaccustomed to it.
1 Corinthians 9 3 Commentary
Paul here uses the analogy of a veil to describe the perceived ineffectiveness or incomprehensibility of the gospel message for some. This "veiling" is not an intrinsic quality of the gospel, which is presented as inherently powerful and truthful (as discussed in earlier verses and chapters, e.g., 1 Cor 1:18, 2:14). Instead, the impediment lies with the recipients themselves. The gospel "is veiled" specifically to those who are on the path to perishing. This connects spiritual doom directly to an inability to perceive the truth of God's salvation. The term "perishing" (apollymenous) signifies not just physical destruction but, in this theological context, the eternal damnation that results from rejecting Christ. The passive voice implies that this perishing is either allowed or brought about as a consequence of their current state and choices. Therefore, the verse powerfully argues that spiritual blindness is a manifestation of, and intimately linked to, an individual’s lost or condemned state.