1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not 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 least I am to you, because you are the seal of my apostleship 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 defense to those who are judging me is this:

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

4 Do we have no right to eat and drink?

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, just as the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers 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 is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to forego working?

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

7 Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

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 I am not saying these things as a mere man, am I? Does not the Law also say the same?

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

9 For it stands written in the Law of Moses: “You shall not muzzle an ox that is threshing.” Is it really about the oxen that God is concerned,

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 surely say it for our sakes? Yes, it was written for us, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.

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 Since we planted spiritual things in you, is it a big deal if we reap material things from you?

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

12 If others have a share in this right from you, do not we even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but we put up with everything so as not to cause any hindrance to the Gospel of 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 you not know that those who minister the sacred things eat from the temple, and those who serve at the altar have a share in 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 instructed those who proclaim the Gospel to live from the Gospel.

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

15 Now I have not used any of these rights, nor have I written these things that it should be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void

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 —I cannot boast because I preach the Gospel, because I am compelled to do so; indeed, woe is me if I do not preach it!

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 (If I do this of my own volition, I have a reward; but if otherwise, I have been entrusted with a commission.)

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

18 So what is my reward? That when I evangelize I may present the Gospel of Christ without charge, so as not to use my rights in the Gospel.

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 Though being free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, in order that I might win the more:

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

20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those under law as under law, that I might win 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 being without law toward God but under law toward Christ), that I might win 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 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means 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 Now I do this for the sake of the Gospel, so as to become its partner.

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

24 Do you not know that in a stadium race all the runners run, but one gets the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.

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 All athletic competitors exercise general self-control—they do it in order to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.

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 So that is how I ‘run’, with a definite goal; that is how I fight, with well-aimed blows.

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

27 Yes, I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, having preached to others, I myself should be 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.