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 free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you 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 be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this.

My answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?

Have we not power to eat and to 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 lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

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 goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats 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?

Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?

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 it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does 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 says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes 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 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, 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 be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder 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?

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

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

Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of 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 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 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 on me; yes, 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 thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to 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.

What is my reward then? Truly that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, 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, yet have I made myself servant to 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 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 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 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 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 the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means 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 might be partaker thereof 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 you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you 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 man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain 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 fight I, not as one that beats 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 keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.