1 Corinthians 9

Paul's Example as 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 seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Don't we have the right to eat and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas? 6 Or do Barnabas and I alone have no right to refrain from working? 7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? 8 Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn't the law also say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned with oxen? 10 Or isn't He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?

12 If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don't we even more?
However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don't you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?

14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship.

18 What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.
19 Although I am a free man and not anyone's [slave], I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law-though I myself am not under the law-to win those under the law. 21 To those who are without [that] law, like one without the law-not being without God's law but within Christ's law-to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.

23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.
24 Don't you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. 26 Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air.

27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

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.