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

2 If I am not an apostle to others—yet doubtless I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the LORD.

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

3 My defense to those who examine me in this:

My answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 do we not have authority to eat and to drink?

Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5 Do we not have authority to lead about a sister—a wife—as also the other apostles, and the brothers of the LORD, and Cephas?

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

6 Or do only Barnabas and I have no authority not to work?

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

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

8 Do I speak these things according to man? Or does the Law not also say these things?

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

9 For in the Law of Moses it has been written: “you will not muzzle an ox treading out grain”; does God care for the oxen?

For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care for oxen?

10 Or by all means does He say [it] because of us? Yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading [ought] of his hope to partake in hope.

Or says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we sowed to you the spiritual things—[is it] great if we reap your fleshly things?

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

12 If others partake of the authority over you—[do] we not more? But we did not use this authority, but we bear all things, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.

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.

13 Have you not known that those working about the things of the temple eat of the temple, and those waiting at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Do you 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?

14 So also the LORD directed to those proclaiming the good news to live of the good news.

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

15 And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for [it is] good for me rather to die, than that anyone may make my glorying void;

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

16 for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid on me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid on me; yes, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!

17 for if I do this willingly, I have a reward; and if unwillingly—I have been entrusted with a stewardship!

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

18 What, then, is my reward? That proclaiming good news, without charge I will make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

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

19 for being free from all men, I made myself servant to all men, that the more I might gain;

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

20 and to the Jews I became like a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law as under law, that I might gain those under law;

And to 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;

21 to those without law, as without law—(not being without law to God, but within law to Christ)—that I might gain those without law;

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.

22 to the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.

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.

23 And I do this because of the good news, that I may become a fellow-partaker of it;

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

24 have you not known that those running in a race—all indeed run, but one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain;

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

25 and everyone who is striving is temperate in all things; these, indeed, then, that they may receive a corruptible garland, but we an incorruptible;

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

26 I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;

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

27 but I bruise my body, and bring [it] into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others—I myself may become disapproved.

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.