1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my worke 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 be not an Apostle vnto other, yet doutlesse I am vnto you: for ye are the seale of mine 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 defence to them that examine mee, is this,

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

4 Haue we not power to eat and to drinke?

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

5 Or haue we not power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as 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 only and Barnabas, haue not we power not to worke?

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

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coste? who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?

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 Say I these thinges according to man? saith not the Lawe the same also?

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

9 For it is written in the Lawe of Moses, Thou shalt not mussell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: doeth God take care for 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 Either saith hee it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt it is written, that he which eareth, should eare in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker 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 If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?

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

12 If others with you bee partakers of this power, are not we rather? neuerthelesse, we haue not vsed this power: but suffer all things, that we should not hinder 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 Doe ye not knowe, that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? and they which waite at the altar, are partakers 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 hath the Lord ordeined, that they which preach ye Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.

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

15 But I haue vsed none of these things: neither wrote I these things, that it should be so done vnto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my reioycing vaine.

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 though I preach the Gospel, I haue nothing to reioyce of: for necessitie is laid vpon me, and woe is vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel.

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 it willingly, I haue a reward, but if I do it against my will, notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me.

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 my reward then? verely that when I preach the Gospel, I make the Gospel of Christ free, that I abuse not mine authoritie in ye 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 For though I bee free from all men, yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men, that I might winne the moe.

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

20 And vnto the Iewes, I become as a Iewe, that I may winne the Iewes: to them that are vnder the Lawe, as though I were vnder the Lawe, that I may winne them that are vnder the Lawe:

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

21 To them that are without Lawe, as though I were without Lawe, (when I am not without Lawe as pertaining to God, but am in the Lawe through Christ) that I may winne them that are without Lawe:

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 weake I become as weake, that I may winne the weake: I am made all thinges to all men, that I might by all meanes saue 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 this I doe for the Gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

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

24 Knowe ye not, that they which runne in a race, runne all, yet one receiueth the price? so runne that ye may obtaine.

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 And euery man that proueth masteries, abstaineth from all things: and they do it to obtaine a corruptible crowne: but we for an vncorruptible.

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 so runne, not as vncertainely: so fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre.

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

27 But I beate downe my body, and bring it into subiection, lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other, I my selfe should be reproued.

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