1 Corinthians 9

1 Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye 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 to others I am not an apostle — yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye 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 those who examine me in this;

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

4 have we not authority to eat and to drink?

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

5 have we not authority a sister — a wife — to lead about, as also the other apostles, and 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 only I and Barnabas, have we not authority — not to work?

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

7 who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

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 According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?

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

9 for in the law of Moses it hath been written, 'thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?

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 because of us by all means doth He say [it]? 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 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 we to you the spiritual things did sow — great [is it] if we your fleshly things do reap?

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

12 if others do partake of the authority over you — not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the 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 Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple — of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar — with the altar are partakers?

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 did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by 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 any one may make my glorying 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 for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 to God, but within law to Christ) — that I might gain 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 I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may 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 And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

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

24 have ye not known that those running in a race — all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;

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 every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;

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

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

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

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