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 I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the results of my work in the Lord?

2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my office of apostle in the Lord.

Even if I'm not an apostle to others, at least I am one to you. The proof of my being an apostle of the Lord is you!

3 My defense to those who examine me is this.

Here is my reply to those who question me about this:

4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?

Don't we have the right to be provided with food and drink?

5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Don't we have a right to be accompanied by a Christian wife, like the rest of the apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Peter?

6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?

Is it only Barnabas and myself who have to work to support ourselves?

7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and does not drink from the flock's milk?

Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?

8 Do I say these things according to human authority? Or does not the Law also say the same thing?

Am I just speaking from a human point of view? Doesn't the law say the same thing?

9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, "Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares,

In the law of Moses it's written, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Was God just thinking about oxen?

10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in the hope of having a share.

Wasn't he directing this at us? Surely this was written for us—for anyone who plows should plow in hope and anyone who threshes should hope to share in the harvest.

11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?

If we sowed what is spiritual with you, does it really matter if we reap some material benefit?

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 Good News of Christ.

If others exercise this right over you, don't we deserve it even more? Even so we did not exercise this right. On the contrary we would rather put up with anything than hold back the gospel of Christ.

13 Do you not know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?

Don't you know that those who work in temples receive their meals from temple offerings, and those that serve at the altar receive their portion of the sacrifice on the altar?

14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.

In just the same way the Lord ordered that those who announce the good news should live from supporters of the good news.

15 But I have used none of these things, and I do not write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

But I have not made use of any of these provisions, and I'm not writing about this to suggest it should be done in my case. I'd rather die than to have anyone take away my pride in not having received any benefit.

16 For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the Good News.

I have nothing to boast about in sharing the good news because it's something I feel compelled to do. In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news!

17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

If I'm doing this work because of my own choice, then I have a reward. But if it wasn't my choice, and an obligation was placed on me,

18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

then what reward do I have? It's the opportunity to share the good news without charging for it, not demanding my rights as a worker for the good news.

19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

Even though I am free and serve no one, I have placed myself in service to everyone so that I might gain more.

20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

To the Jews I behave like a Jew so that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law I behave as someone under the law (even though I am not obligated under the law), so that I might win those under the law.

21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.

To those who don't operate according to the law, I behave like them, (though not disregarding God's law, but operating under the law of Christ), so that I might gain those who don't observe the law.

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

To those who are weak, I share in their weakness so that I may win the weak. I have ended up being “everyman” to everyone so that by using every possible means I might win some!

23 Now I do all things for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.

I do all this for the sake of the good news so that I too may share in its blessings!

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

Wouldn't you agree that there are many runners in a race, but only one gets the prize? So run your best, so you may win!

25 Now everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

Every competitor who participates in the games maintains a strict training discipline. Of course they do so to win a crown that doesn't last. But our crowns will last forever!

26 I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air,

That's why I run straight in the right direction. I fight accurately, not punching the air.

27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

I also treat my body severely to bring it under my control, for I don't want somehow to be disqualified after sharing the good news with everybody else.