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1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1

Striving for a Crown

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? lRun in such a way that you may 9obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize 1is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for man imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: nnot with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 oBut I discipline my body and pbring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become qdisqualified.

Old Testament Examples

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under athe cloud, all passed through bthe sea,

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1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — The New International Version (NIV)

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — English Standard Version (ESV)

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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.

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — New Living Translation (NLT)

24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — New Century Version (NCV)

24 You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! 25 All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. 26 So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air. 27 I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to others.

Brothers and sisters, I want you to know what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the cloud and all went through the sea.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — American Standard Version (ASV)

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.

For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

24 Know ye not that they who run in the race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain. 25 But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. 27 But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

24 Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. 25 Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. 26 So I run—but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box—but not as if I were just shadow boxing. 27 Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others. 

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that all our ancestors ⸤who left Egypt⸥ were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. 26 Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea,

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

24 Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25 Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26 So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27 but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

24 Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things. Thus those do so in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 26 Therefore I run in this way, not as running aimlessly; I box in this way, not as beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and subjugate it, lest somehow after preaching to others, I myself should become disqualified.

For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea,

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

24 In a race all the runners run. But only one gets the prize. You know that, don’t you? So run in a way that will get you the prize. 25 All who take part in the games train hard. They do it to get a crown that will not last. But we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

26 So I do not run like someone who doesn’t run toward the finish line. I do not fight like a boxer who hits nothing but air. 27 No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules and fail to win the prize.

Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:1 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;

27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;


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