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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

1 Corinthians 9:26

So

(ουτως). Both with τρεχω (run) and πυκτευω (fight).As not uncertainly

(ως ουκ αδηλως). Instead of exhorting them further Paul describes his own conduct as a runner in the race. He explains ουτως. Αδηλως old adverb, only here in N.T. His objective is clear, with Christ as the goal (Philippians 3:14). He kept his eye on Christ as Christ watched him.Fight

(πυκτευω). Paul changes the metaphor from the runner to the boxer. Old verb (only here in N.T.) from πυκτης (pugilist) and that from πυγμη (fist). See on Mark 7:3).As not beating the air

(ως ουκ αερα δερων). A boxer did this when practising without an adversary (cf. doing "the daily dozen") and this was called "shadow-fighting" (σκιαμαχια). He smote something more solid than air. Probably ου negatives αερα, though it still occurs with the participle as a strong and positive negative.

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See also 1 Corinthians 9:26 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 26. _I THEREFORE SO RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY_] In the foot-course in those games, how many soever ran, only _one_ could have the prize, however strenuously they might exert themselves; therefore,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I THEREFORE SO RUN - In the Christian race; in my effort to obtain the prize, the crown of immortality. I exert myself to the utmost, that I may not fail of securing the crown. NOT AS UNCERTAINLY - (ο...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    6. PAUL'S GRACIOUS EXAMPLE. CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The Apostle's rights. (1 Corinthians 9:1)._ 2. He waives his rights for the Gospel's sake. (1 Corinthians 9:15). 3. The race-course and the crown. ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 CORINTHIANS 9. This chapter is not a digression, and is not primarily concerned with a vindication of Paul's apostolic status and rights. He enforces his plea that the enlightened should not ride ro...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Are you not aware that those who run in the stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may win the prize. Now every athlete in the games practises complete self-discipline. They...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE UNCLAIMED PRIVILEGES (1 Corinthians 9:1-14)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    AS. "As" should precede "not". UNCERTAINLY. Greek. _adelos._ Only here. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:8; 1 Timothy 6:17. He runs with clear understanding of the conditions and object. See "one thing", Phil

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _not as uncertainly_ i.e. _with no definite object_, but "looking to some goal," as St Chrysostom observes, and that goal the salvation of himself and others. _so fight I_ The Christian career is not...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Exhortation to Self-restraint 24. _Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?_ Not that this is the case in the Christian course, but that each should manifest the...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤΟΊΝΥΝ. This particle does not occur elsewhere in St Paul’s writings. ὩΣ ΟΥ̓Κ�. ‘As one who is not running uncertainly.’ So in the next member of the sentence, ‘so fight I, as one who is not beating...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    EXHORTATION TO SELF-RESTRAINT...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _PAUL RAN THE RACE WELL 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27:_ Paul understood that there was a race to run or a fight to win. In this section of scripture he gave a second reason for practicing self-restraint. The...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΤΟΊΝΥΝ (G5106) итак, следовательно. Это вывод, ΆΔΉΛΩΣ (G84) неточно, бесцельно: "я не бегу, как человек, не имеющий конкретной цели" (РАМ, 90; Weiss), ΠΥΚΤΕΎΩ (G4438) _praes. ind. act._ биться на ку...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1968 THE MANNER IN WHICH ST. PAUL SOUGHT FOR HEAVEN 1 Corinthians 9:26. _I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I—RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY— The _stadia,_ or courses of the Greeks, were like the courses of our horse-races, marked with posts and other signs, that shewed the racer which way he was to run, and of wh...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 3 Reasons For Relinquishment (1 Corinthians 9:19-27) 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20To the Jews I bec...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: I - return to his main subject, his own self-denial, and his motive. RUN NOT AS UNCERTAINLY - not without defi...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    25 Contestants in the Grecian games had to take an oath that they had been ten months in training, and that they would violate none of the regulations. They lived on a prescribed diet and exercised se...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    NOT AS UNCERTAINLY] not hesitating, looking back. NOT AS ONE THAT BEATETH THE AIR] but aiming my blows well. The metaphor changes from running to boxing....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. St. Paul illustrates the need of this self-denial which he has been inculcating from the Greek games or athletic sports, some of the most noted of which (the Isthmia...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(b) Food offered to Idols (ii) St. Paul's own Example_ St. Paul has appealed to the 'enlightened' converts at Corinth to give up for the sake of others a practice which they might otherwise have had...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    SERVANTS OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 9 THE RIGHTS OF AN *APOSTLE 9:1-27 PAUL IS A REAL *APOSTLE 9:1-2 V1 You know that I am free. You know that I am an *apostle. I have seen...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    I THEREFORE SO RUN. — The Apostle appeals to his own conduct as an illustration of the lesson which he is teaching, and by means of it reminds the reader that the whole of this chapter has been a vind...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 14 NOT ALL WHO RUN WIN IN the preceding part of this chapter Paul has proved his right to claim remuneration from those to whom he preached the Gospel, and he has also given his reasons for d...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    “Therefore I _so_ run, in no uncertain fashion; _so_ I ply my fists, not like one that beats the air.” “ _So_ as the context describes, and as you see me (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 15:32)”; the Ap. feels hi...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    § 30. PAUL'S ASCETICISM. The last words of § 29 indicate that the writer feels his own salvation to be bound up in his mission to his fellowmen. The self-denial practised for the latter of these objec...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “UNDER BONDAGE TO ALL” 1 Corinthians 9:16 Paul's one aim was to _gain men._ He uses the words repeatedly. To gain one more for his Lord, he would forego comfort, emolument, and well-earned repose. He...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The words, "my defence to them that examine me is this," reveal the opposition to him in Corinth. The two words, "defence" and "examine," are purely legal, and are in the language of the courts of jus...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Controlling Self To Receive The Prize All the talk about sacrifice reminded Paul of the sacrifice and self-control necessary to reach the heavenly goal. He used the illustration of runners who sacrifi...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27. But I buffet my body, and lead it captive: lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.”...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    II. THE QUESTION CONSIDERED FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE SALVATION OF THE STRONG THEMSELVES. 9:23-10:22. As Paul concluded the preceding development by giving his own example, he introduces the following...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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 d...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. The apostle speaks of himself as such "called [to be] an apostle of Jesus...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _VAGUE RUNNING: INEFFECTIVE FIGHTING_ ‘I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. 1 Corinthians 9:26 We have here two topics—first, the danger of running v...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN_ ‘Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.’ 1 Corinthians 9:25 The few ivy leaves soon fade away. The glory is ephemeral, and the hero is soon...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    26._I therefore so run _He returns to speak of himself, that his doctrine may have the more weight, on his setting himself forward by way of pattern. What. he says here some refer to _assurance of hop...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle was exposed to the accusations of false teachers, who asserted that he carried on his evangelisation and his labours from interested motives, and that he took the property of Christians, a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    I THEREFORE SO RUN,.... The apostle animates the Corinthians by his own example, telling them that he ran so as he exhorted them; he ran with cheerfulness and swiftness in the way marked out for him,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: Ver. 26. _Not as uncertainly_] For, 1. I forget those things that are behind, all worldly things. I set those by....

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I therefore_ The reward being so great; _so run, not as uncertainly_ For I see the goal I am to run to, I keep it continually in view, and run straight to it, casting off every weight, and not regard...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    SO RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY; not as one who runs at random, without knowing his goal or how to reach it. The apostle means, that he so lived as to be sure of obtaining the approbation of God, and recei...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The need of self-discipline:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    I THEREFORE SO RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY; SO FIGHT I, NOT AS ONE THAT BEATS THE AIR;...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Because of the lowliness and grace on the part of the apostle, such as chapter 8 shows in the consideration of his brethren, there were some who would use this as an occasion to belittle him. He made...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    1 CORINTHIANS 9:26. THEREFORE SO RUN, AS NOT UNCERTAINLY; SO FIGHT I, AS NOT BEATING THE AIR: 'I therefore so run' -Paul reveals what on his part he is determined to do. Like Joshua of old. (Joshua...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    24-27 The apostle compares himself to the racers and combatants in the Isthmian games, well known by the Corinthians. But in the Christian race all may run so as to obtain. There is the greatest enco...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    The apostle proposeth his own example. As it is observed in country work, he that only bids his servants do work, and puts not his own hand to it, or at least doth not attend and overlook them in thei...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    I therefore [realizing the value of that for which I contend] _so run, as not uncertainly_ [without doubt or hesitation. Paul felt sure of the course which led to the goal, and certain as to the rewar...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Origen Against Celsus Book VII And each of us runs "not as uncertain," and he so fights with evil "not as one beating the air,"[136]...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 9:26 Therefore G5106 I G1473 run G5143 (G5719) thus G3779 not G3756 with G5613 uncertainty G84

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    'I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so do I fight, as not beating the air, but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage, lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself shoul...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Corinthians 9:26. I THEREFORE (for my part) SO RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY without definite aim, regardless of what is at stake, and what is required in order to win. SO FIGHT I. Here the figure change...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    It was impossible for Christians in almost any Greek or Roman colony, and least of all at Corinth, to avoid coming frequently in contact with idolatrous practices in various and ensnaring forms. In wr...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 9:24 The Race and the Prize. I. The prize, in the contest that St. Paul speaks of, is a different kind of prize from that which these Corinthians were seeking after in their games. It w...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    The apostle Paul is here giving a description of the way in which he made everything help toward the fulfillment of his desire to be a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. He longed to be the means of w...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul vindicates his apostleship. The method and reward of true ministry and the support of the ministry. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Cephas, Barnabas, Moses. CONCLUSION: It is no new thing for...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Corinthians 9:1. _Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?_ Having illustrated the legal customs of the jews respecting meats, he introduc...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THAT IS WHY. Paul has a definite goal! He runs straight for the finish line, and ignores all else! As a boxer, he wastes no time _shadow boxing!_ In the games, the judges watched each contestant close...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I therefore so run, not as uncertainly._ NOT AS UNCERTAINLY In the Grecian games the uncertainties of every earthly race are symbolised. This uncertainty is one of the saddest aspects of experience...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24 This extended athletic metaphor would have been understood in Corinth. The city was the location of the biennial Isthmian games, second in fame only to the Oly...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 9 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. He proceeds to show by his own example how offences are to be avoided, and he says that he had refused to accept payment, or the maintenance due to a preacher of...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _So fight I, not as one that beateth the air._ The comparison is still maintained. I fight as an athlete, but I do not spend my toil for nought, but I wound my enemy, _i.e._, I subdue my body and my f...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 1 Corinthians 9:24.—His own salvation is at stake as well as that of his hearers. He must do all these things, not only as expedients which for his hearers’ sakes may make him a succe...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 9:1 The rights and the self denial of an apostle. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:1 An apostle's right to maintenance....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to I Corinthians, chapter 9. I could do a lot of things I don't do. The reason why I don't do them is I do not want to be an offense unto a weaker brethren and destroy his...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:8; 2 Peter 1:10;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Uncertainly [α δ η λ ω ς]. Only here in the New Testament. The kindred adjective adhlov not manifest, occurs Luke 11:44 (see note) and 1 Corinthians 14:8. Compare also ajdhlothv uncertainty, 1 Timothy...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THOSE WHOM GOD CHOOSES 1 Corinthians 9:24 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There are none of us who would not desire to be used of God in a large way. This is not an unholy ambition. We should not seek great thi...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE SEVEN CROWNS 1 Corinthians 9:24 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The possibility of winning a crown. There are two classes of Christians: one is the carnal, the other is the spiritual. There are some who...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I so run, not as uncertainly — I look straight to the goal; I run straight toward it. I cast away every weight, regard not any that stand by. I fight not as one that beateth the air — This is a prover...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    That is, "I run this race of Christianity myself, which. advise you unto. But my care is to run sure, not at uncertainties; to make sure of the crown at the end of the race, and. do not only run, but...

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Old Testament