1 Corinthians 9:21 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Among those outside the law of Moses, Paul lives as one of them, yet always remaining bound to God and under the law of Christ, so as to win them.
What Does 1 Corinthians 9:21 Mean?
Paul turns to those who live outside the law of Moses. Among them he adapts likewise, meeting them on their ground. But he adds an important guardrail in parentheses: he is never lawless before God, for he remains under the law of Christ.
Paul's flexibility has a fixed center. He bends in custom but never in obedience to God; his freedom is always held within the law of Christ, which is the law of love. He does not become sinful to reach sinners; he becomes approachable. This keeps his accommodation honest and holy. The verse teaches that genuine outreach crosses cultural distances while standing firmly anchored in faithfulness to Christ, whose commands shape every step even into unfamiliar territory.
1 Corinthians 9:21 in the Original Language
ennomos (ἔννομος), 'under the law' -- bound by law, here describing being subject to the law of Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 9:21
What does 1 Corinthians 9:21 mean?
Among those outside the law of Moses, Paul lives as one of them, yet always remaining bound to God and under the law of Christ, so as to win them.