1 Corinthians 9:20

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law(though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ ἐγενόμην τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὡς Ἰουδαῖος, ἵνα Ἰουδαίους κερδήσω· τοῖς ὑπὸ νόμον, ὡς ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον κερδήσω·

Transliteration

And I egenomēn to the Ioudaiois as Ioudaios, that Ioudaious I might kerdēsō; to the ones under nomon, as under nomon, that the ones under nomon I might kerdēsō;

Grammar Details

• *egenomēn*: aorist indicative, middle, 1st person singular - became
• *Ioudaiois*: dative, masculine, plural - to Jews
• *Ioudaios*: nominative, masculine, singular - a Jew
• *Ioudaious*: accusative, masculine, plural - Jews
• *kerdēsō*: aorist subjunctive, 1st person singular - might gain/win
• *nomon*: accusative, masculine, singular - law

Word Meanings

• *egenomēn*: became/was/acted as
• *Ioudaiois*: Jews/Jewish people
• *kerdēsō*: might gain/might win/might profit
• *nomon*: law/Torah

Referenced Verses

• Acts 16:3 : 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
• Gal 5:18 : 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
• Acts 21:20-26 : 20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to him,“You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law. 21 They have been informed about you– that you teach all the Jews now living among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What then should we do? They will no doubt hear that you have come. 23 So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law. 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men the next day, and after he had purified himself along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice of the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.
• Rom 3:19 : 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
• Rom 6:14-15 : 14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace. 15 The Believer’s Enslavement to God’s Righteousness What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!
• Rom 11:14 : 14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them.
• Gal 4:5 : 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.
• Gal 4:21 : 21 An Appeal from Allegory Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law?
• Acts 17:2-3 : 2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying,“This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
• Acts 18:18 : 18 Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow.