1 Corinthians 9:4

4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

1 Corinthians 9:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 9:4

Have we not power to eat and to drink?
] Having proved his apostleship, he proceeds to establish his right to a maintenance as a Gospel minister; which he expresses by various phrases, and confirms by divers arguments: by a "power to eat and drink", he does not mean the common power and right of mankind to perform such actions, which everyone has, provided he acts temperately, and to the glory of God; nor a liberty of eating and drinking things indifferent, or which were prohibited under the ceremonial law; but a comfortable livelihood at the public charge, or at the expense of the persons to whom he ministered; and he seems to have in view the words of Christ, ( Luke 10:7 Luke 10:8 ) .

1 Corinthians 9:4 In-Context

2 If others do not accept me as an apostle, surely you do, because you are proof that I am an apostle in the Lord.
3 This is the answer I give people who want to judge me:
4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have the right to bring a believing wife with us when we travel as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter?
6 Are Barnabas and I the only ones who must work to earn our living?
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.