1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen our Lord Jesus? Aren’t you yourselves my work achieved in union with the Lord?

Surely I am free? Surely I am an apostle Surely Jesus (Christ *K) the Lord of us have I seen? Surely the work of mine you yourselves are in [the] Lord?

2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal that stamps me as an apostle in union with the Lord.

If to others not I am an apostle, yet at least to you I am; the for seal (of my *N+kO) apostleship you yourselves are in [the] Lord.

3 The defence that I make to my critics is this:

My defense to those me myself examining is this:

4 Haven’t we a right to food and drink?

certainly surely we have [the] right to eat and to drink?

5 Haven’t we a right to take a wife with us, if she is a Christian, as the other apostles and the Master’s brothers and Cephas all do?

certainly surely we have authority a sister a wife to take about as also the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to give up working for our bread?

Or only I myself and Barnabas not have permission not to work?

7 Does anyone ever serve as a soldier at his own expense? Does anyone plant a vineyard and not eat its produce? Or does anyone look after a herd and not drink the milk?

who serves as a soldier at [his] own expense at any time? Who plants a vineyard and (from *k) (the fruit *N+kO) of it not does eat? Or who shepherds a flock and from the milk of the flock not does drink?

8 Am I, in all this, speaking only from the human standpoint? Does not the Law also say the same?

Not according to man these things do I speak? Or also the law these things (not *N+kO) says?

9 For in the Law of Moses it is said – “You should not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of?

In for the of Moses law it has been written: Not you will muzzle an ox treading out grain. Surely not for the oxen is there care with God?

10 Or is not is said entirely for our sakes? Surely it was written for our sakes, for the ploughman ought not to plough, nor the thrasher to thrash, without expecting a share of the grain.

Or because of us entirely is He speaking? For sake of us for it was written because ought in hope the [one] plowing to plow, and the [one] threshing (of the hope of him *K) in hope ([that he] *no) is to partake.

11 Since we, then, sowed spiritual seed for you, is it too much that we should reap from you an earthly harvest?

If we ourselves among you spiritual things sowed, [is it] a great thing if we ourselves from you material things will reap?

12 If others share in this right over you, don’t we even more? Still we did not avail ourselves of this right. No, we endure anything rather than impede the progress of the good news of the Christ.

If others of the over you authority partake, surely more we ourselves? But not we did use right this, Instead all things we bear so that not any hindrance we may place to the gospel of Christ.

13 Don’t you know that those who do the work of the Temple live on what comes from the Temple, and that those who serve at the altar share the offerings with the altar?

Surely you know that those in the sacred [things] working (the [things] *no) of the temple eat? those at the altar attending at the altar partake?

14 So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the good news should get their living from the good news.

So also the Lord has prescribed to those the gospel proclaiming from the gospel to live.

15 I, however, have not availed myself of any of these rights. I am not saying this to secure such an arrangement for myself; indeed, I would far rather die – Nobody will make my boast a vain one!

I myself however (not *no) (have used *N+kO) not any of these; Neither have I written now these things that thus it may become with me myself; good for me rather to die than the boasting of mine (so that *K) (no [one] will make void. *N+kO)

16 If I proclaim the good news, I have nothing to boast of, for I am compelled to do so. Woe is me if I do not share it!

If for I shall evangelise, nothing there is to me boasting; necessity for me is laid upon; Woe (however *N+kO) to me be if not (I shall evangelise. *N+kO)

17 If I do this work willingly, I have a reward; but, if unwillingly, I have been charged to perform a duty.

If for willingly this I do, a reward I have; if however unwillingly, a stewardship I have been entrusted with.

18 What is my reward, then? To present the good news free of all cost, and so make but a sparing use of the rights which it gives me.

What then (of me *N+kO) is the reward? That in evangelising free of charge I may offer the gospel (of the Christ *K) so as not to use up the right of me in the gospel.

19 Although I was entirely free, yet, to win as many converts as possible, I made myself everyone’s slave.

Free for being from all to all myself I became servant so that the more I may gain;

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews. To those who are subject to Law I became like a man subject to Law – though I was not myself subject to Law – to win those who are subject to Law.

And I became to the Jews like a Jew so that Jews I may win; To those under [the] Law as under [the] law (not being myself *NO) under [the] law so that those under [the] law I may win;

21 To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law – not that I am free from God’s Law; no, for I am under Christ’s Law – to win those who have no law.

To those outside [the] Law like outside [the] Law — not being outside [the] law (of God *N+kO) but under [the] law (of Christ — *N+kO) so that I may win (those *no) outside [the] Law.

22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so as at all costs to save some.

I became to the weak (as *K) weak that the weak I may win; The [things] to all I have become all so that by all means some I may save.

23 And I do everything for the sake of the good news, so that with them I may share in its blessings.

(All [things] *N+KO) now I do on account of the gospel that a fellow partaker with it I may become.

24 Don’t you know that on a racecourse, though all run, yet only one wins the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

Surely you know that those in a race course running all indeed run, one however receives the prize? Thus do run that you may grasp [it].

25 Every athlete exercises self-restraint in everything; they, indeed, for a crown that fades, we for one that is unfading.

Everyone now who is striving in all things controls himself; they indeed then that a perishable crown they may receive, we ourselves however an imperishable.

26 I, therefore, do not run aimlessly. I do not box like a man hitting the air.

I myself therefore thus run as not uncertainly, so I fight as not [the] air beating;

27 No, I bruise my body and make it my slave, so that I, who have called others to the contest, will not myself be rejected.

But I batter my body and bring [it] into servitude, lest perhaps to others having preached myself disqualified I may be.