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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:21 - King James

Verse         Translation Text
1Co 9:21 King James 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.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
To them . . . without law--that is, without revealed law: the heathen (compare Rom 2:12 with Co1 9:15).

as without law--not urging on them the ceremonies and "works of the law," but "the hearing of faith" (Gal 3:2). Also discoursing in their own manner, as at Athens, with arguments from their own poets (Act 17:28).

being not without law to God--"While thus conforming to others in matters indifferent, taking care not to be without law in relation to God, but responsible to law (literally, "IN LAW") in relation to Christ." This is the Christian's true position in relation to the world, to himself, and to God. Everything develops itself according to its proper law. So the Christian, though no longer subject to the literal law as constraining him from without, is subject to an inward principle or law, the spirit of faith in Christ acting from within as the germ of a new life. He does not in the Greek (as in English Version) say "under the law (as he does in Co1 9:20) to Christ"; but uses the milder term, "in . . . law," responsible to law. Christ was responsible to the law for us, so that we are no longer responsible to it (Gal 3:13, Gal 3:24), but to Him, as the members to the Head (Co1 7:22; Rom 8:1-4; Pe1 2:16). Christians serve Christ in newness of spirit, no longer in oldness of the letter (that is, the old external law as such), Rom 7:4-6. To Christ, as man's Head, the Father has properly delegated His authority (Joh 5:22, Joh 5:27); whence here he substitutes "Christ" for "God" in the second clause, "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ." The law of Christ is the law of love (Gal 6:2; compare Gal 5:13).
 
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13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)