1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.3 My defence to them that examine me is this.4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?5 Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?6 Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?7 What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?8 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,10 or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking.11 If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?12 If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.13 Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?14 Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.15 But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorifying void.16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.17 For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.19 For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under 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: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.23 And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

1 Corinthians 9

The Rights of an Apostle

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the confirming signt of my apostleship in the Lord.3 This is my defense to those who examine me.4 Do we not have the right to financial support?t5 Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?6 Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?7 Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?8 Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense,t or does the law not say this as well?9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”s God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?10 Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.11 If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?

12 If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving?
But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the templet eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?14 In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me.t In fact, it would be better for me to die than – no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!ss16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.

18 What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel.
19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people.t20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law)s to gain those under the law.21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.

22 To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.

23 I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.
24 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.

25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air.

27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.