1 Corinthians 9

1 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?

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

2 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.

If I am not an apostle to others, yet certainly I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.

3 My defence with them that do examine me is this.

My answer to those who examine me is this:

4 Have not we power to eat and to drink?

Have we not the right to eat and drink?

5 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?

Have we not the right to lead about a sister wife, as the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

Or, have I only, and Barnabas, no right to leave off working?

7 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?

What man ever serves as a soldier, at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not of its fruit? Or who tends a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

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

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

9 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?

For it is written in the law of Moses: You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain? Has God a care for oxen?

10 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.

or does he say it wholly for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, it was written: that he that plows should plow in hope, and that he that thrashes should thrash in hope of partaking.

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

If we have sown, for your benefit, things that are spiritual, is it a great thing that we reap your carnal things?

12 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.

If others partake of this right over you, should not we rather? But we have not used this right: but we endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of the Christ.

13 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?

Do you not know that those who are engaged about sacred rites have their living from the temple? and that those who attend upon the altar are partakers with the altar?

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

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

15 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.

But I have availed myself of none of these things; nor do I write these things that it should be so done to me. For it would be better for me to die, than that any one should make my boasting vain.

16 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.

For though I preach the gospel, I have no cause for boasting; for a necessity is laid upon me; yes, alas for me, if I preach not the gospel.

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

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, an apostolic stewardship has been intrusted to me.

18 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.

What, then, is my reward? That, while I preach, I may make the gospel of Christ to be without charge, in order that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

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

For, though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself a servant to all, that I may gain the more.

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

And to the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews: to those who are under law, as under law, (not being myself under law, ) that I might gain those who are under law;

21 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.

to those who are without law, as without law, (not being myself without law to God, but under law to Christ, ) that I might gain those who are without law:

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

to the weak I became like one who was weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all men, that I may, by all means, save some.

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

And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may share its benefits with you.

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

Know you not that all the runners in the race-course run the race, but that one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain the prize.

25 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.

Every combatant in the public games is temperate in all things: they, indeed, that they may obtain a corruptible, but we, that we may obtain an incorruptible crown.

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

I, therefore, so run, not as with uncertainty; I so aim my blows, not as one that beats the air;

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

but I put my body under severe discipline, and bring it into subjection, lest, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.