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 an apostle? am I not a free man? have I not seen Jesus Christ 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 you are the seal of my office of apostle in the Lord.

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

3 My defense to those who examine me is this.

My apology to those who interrogate me is this,

4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?

Have we not power to eat 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?

Have we not power to carry about with us a sister wife, as do also the other apostles, even the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

or I alone and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear labour?

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?

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

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

Speak I these things rationally as a man, or doth not the law speak the same things?

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,

for in the law of Moses it is written, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn.” Doth God take care for 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.

or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes doubtless it was written; because he who ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he who soweth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

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

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we should reap your corporal 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 Good News of Christ.

if others partake of this power over you, ought not we much more? But we have not used this power, and we suffer all things, that we might not put any obstruction in the way of 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?

Know ye not that they who are employed about the holy things, are fed from the temple? and they who serve at the altar, partake with the altar?

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

So also the Lord hath commanded to those who preach the gospel, that they should live by the gospel.

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 used nothing of these things, nor have I written indeed these things, that it should be so done respecting me; for it would become me to die rather than that any man should make my glorying void.

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.

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me, yea verily woe is to me if I preach not the gospel.

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.

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with the dispensation of it.

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.

What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may put the gospel of Christ to no expence, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

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

For though I be free from all men, I have made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the 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;

And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are 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 are without law, as without law (not as being without law to God, but under the law to Christ), that I might gain those who were without 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.

I became to the weak as weak, that I might gain the weak; I became all things to all men, that by every means I might save some.

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

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

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.

Know ye not that they who run on the course, all run indeed, yet but one obtaineth the price? So run, that ye may obtain.

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.

And every one who contendeth in the games is temperate in all things: they indeed therefore do it that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

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

I therefore so run not as uncertainly; so do I exercise with my fists, not as striking 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.

but I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, that I may not by any means, after having preached to others, myself become reprobate.