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?

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

2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in [the] Lord.

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

3 My defence to those who examine me is this:

My answer to them that examine me is this,

4 Have we not a right to eat and to drink?

Have we no right to eat and to drink?

5 have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Have we no right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to forbear working?

7 Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

Who goeth to war at any time at his own expense? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

Do I say these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the grain. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

Or saith he this altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if we shall reap your carnal 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 this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

If others are partakers of this right over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this right; but endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

Do ye not know that they who minister about holy things live from the things of the temple? and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.

15 But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

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 announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!

17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

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 is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless [to others], so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in [announcing] the glad tidings.

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

19 For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible].

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

20 And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order 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 as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ, ) in order 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 I became to the weak, [as] weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23 And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you.

24 Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

Know ye not that they who run in a race all run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

And every man that striveth 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, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

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

27 But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.