1 Corinthians 9

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?

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, at least I am one to you: for the fact that you are Christians is the sign that I am an Apostle.

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 answer to those who are judging me is this.

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

4 Have we no right to take food and drink?

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

5 Have we no right to take about with us a Christian wife, like the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers 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 I only and Barnabas, have we no right to take a rest from work?

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

7 Who ever goes to war without looking to someone to be responsible for his payment? who puts in vines and does not take the fruit of them? or who takes care of sheep without drinking of their milk?

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 Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same?

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

9 For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders?

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 has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it.

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 have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?

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

12 If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of 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 Do you not see that the servants of the holy things get their living from the Temple, and the servants of the altar have their part in the food which is offered on the altar?

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 Even so did the Lord give orders that the preachers of the good news might get their living from the good news.

So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.

15 But I have not made use of any of these things: and I am not writing this in the hope that it may be so for me: for it would be better for me to undergo death, than for any man to make this pride of mine of no effect.

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 am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

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 But if I do it gladly, I have a reward; and if not, I am under orders to do it.

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? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of 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 though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation.

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

20 And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law.

And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:

21 To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the 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 To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation.

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 I do all things for the cause of the good news, so that I may have a part in it.

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

24 Do you not see that in a running competition all take part, but only one gets the reward? So let your minds be fixed on the reward.

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 man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

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 So then I am running, not uncertainly; so I am fighting, not as one who gives blows in the air:

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

27 But I give blows to my body, and keep it under control, for fear that, after having given the good news to others, I myself might not have God's approval.

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