1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in [the] Lord?

Am not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?

2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in [the] Lord.

And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defence to those who examine me is this:

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

4 Have we not a right to eat and to drink?

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

5 have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?

7 Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things?

9 For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.

11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if we shall reap your carnal things?

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?

12 If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar?

14 So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.

15 But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void.

16 For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me:

18 What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless [to others], so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in [announcing] the glad tidings.

What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19 For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible].

For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.

20 And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:

And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:

21 to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ, ) in order that I might gain [those] without law.

To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law, ) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ, ) that I might gain them that were without the law.

22 I became to the weak, [as] weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.

23 And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

And I do all things for the gospel’s sake: that I may be made partaker thereof.

24 Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.

25 But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.

26 I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:

27 But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.