1 Corinthians 9

1 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?

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?

2 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.

Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those me myself examining is this:

This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:

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

Have we no right to food and to drink?

5 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?

Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

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

Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?

7 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?

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

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

Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

9 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?

For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

10 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.

Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.

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

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?

12 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.

If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 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?

Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?

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

In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

15 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)

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast.

16 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)

Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

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

If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

18 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.

What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

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

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

20 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;

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.

21 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.

To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.

22 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.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

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

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

24 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].

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

25 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.

Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

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

Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.

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

No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.