Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?
- BSB Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
- NKJV Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?
- NASB Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?
- NLT Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul reminds them that those who serve in the temple eat from its offerings, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrifices. God's own ordained pattern provides for sacred ministry.
Overview
Drawing on the Old Testament priesthood, Paul notes that priests and Levites were sustained from the temple's offerings (Num 18:8-31). This divinely established arrangement further supports the principle that those devoted to spiritual service may live from it. It is another strand in his cumulative case, showing that ministerial support is not novel but rooted in God's own provision for those who serve Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Num 18:8–20And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
- Lev 6:26The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- Num 5:9–10And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.
- 1 Cor 10:18Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
- Deut 18:1–5The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
- 1 Sam 2:28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
- Lev 6:16–18And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
- Deut 10:9Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.
- Lev 7:6–8Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 9:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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