1 Corinthians 9

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

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

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

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

3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

My defense to those who examine me is this.

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

Have we no, not a right to eat and to drink?

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Have we no, not a right to lead about a sister wife, as also the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Or have only I and Barnabas no right not to be occupied earning a living?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

Who ever enlists in an army at his own wage? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat from the fruit of it? Or who feeds a flock and does not eat from the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

Do I say these things according to man, or does not the law also say these things?

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 thou shall not muzzle an ox threshing grain. Is God concerned about oxen,

10 Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

or does he speak altogether for our sake? For our sake, for it was written, He who plows ought to plow with hope, and he who threshes with his hope, with hope to share.

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

If we sowed spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if we will reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

If others are partakers of the right from you, are not we more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we cover all things, so that we may not give any hindrance to the good news of the Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Know ye not that those being employed at the sacred things eat from the temple, and those who serve at the altar are partakers at the altar?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

And so the Lord commanded those who proclaim the good news to live from the good news.

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.

But I have used none of these things, and I did not write these things so that it should be done to me this way. For it is good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my boasting empty.

16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

For if I preach the good news, it is not a source of pride for me, for an obligation is laid upon me. And woe is to me if I do not preach the good news.

17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto me.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward, but if involuntarily, I have been entrusted with a commission.

18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

What then is my reward? That, while preaching the good news, I may make the good news of the Christ without charge, in order not to make full use of my right in the good news.

19 For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

For although being free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that I might gain the more.

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;

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews, to those under law, as under law, so that I might gain those under law,

21 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.

to those without law, as without law (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ), so that I might gain men without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.

To the weak I became as weak, so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that by all means I might save some.

23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].

And I do this for sake of the good news, so that I might become a fellow participant of it.

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

Know ye not that those who run in an arena, indeed all run, but one receives the prize? So run that ye may seize it.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

And every man who strives for mastery exercises self-control in all things. Indeed therefore those men do it so that they might obtain a perishable crown, but we an imperishable.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

I therefore run this way, not as aimlessly. I fight this way, not as flaying air.

27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

But I give my body a black eye and subdue it, lest somehow having preached to others, I myself might become disqualified.