Προς Κορινθιους Α΄ 9

1 ουκ ειμι αποστολος ουκ ειμι ελευθερος ουχι ιησουν χριστον τον κυριον ημων εωρακα ου το εργον μου υμεις εστε εν κυριω

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

2 ει αλλοις ουκ ειμι αποστολος αλλα γε υμιν ειμι η γαρ σφραγις της εμης αποστολης υμεις εστε εν κυριω

If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you, because you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 η εμη απολογια τοις εμε ανακρινουσιν αυτη εστιν

My defense to those who are judging me is this:

4 μη ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν φαγειν και πιειν

Do we have no right to eat and drink?

5 μη ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν αδελφην γυναικα περιαγειν ως και οι λοιποι αποστολοι και οι αδελφοι του κυριου και κηφας

Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, just as the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?

6 η μονος εγω και βαρναβας ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν του μη εργαζεσθαι

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to forego working?

7 τις στρατευεται ιδιοις οψωνιοις ποτε τις φυτευει αμπελωνα και εκ του καρπου αυτου ουκ εσθιει η τις ποιμαινει ποιμνην και εκ του γαλακτος της ποιμνης ουκ εσθιει

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

8 μη κατα ανθρωπον ταυτα λαλω η ουχι και ο νομος ταυτα λεγει

I am not saying these things as a mere man, am I? Does not the Law also say the same?

9 εν γαρ τω μωσεως νομω γεγραπται ου φιμωσεις βουν αλοωντα μη των βοων μελει τω θεω

For it stands written in the Law of Moses: “You shall not muzzle an ox that is threshing.” Is it really about the oxen that God is concerned,

10 η δι ημας παντως λεγει δι ημας γαρ εγραφη οτι επ ελπιδι οφειλει ο αροτριων αροτριαν και ο αλοων της ελπιδος αυτου μετεχειν επ ελπιδι

or does He surely say it for our sakes? Yes, it was written for us, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.

11 ει ημεις υμιν τα πνευματικα εσπειραμεν μεγα ει ημεις υμων τα σαρκικα θερισομεν

Since we planted spiritual things in you, is it a big deal if we reap material things from you?

12 ει αλλοι της εξουσιας υμων μετεχουσιν ου μαλλον ημεις αλλ ουκ εχρησαμεθα τη εξουσια ταυτη αλλα παντα στεγομεν ινα μη εγκοπην τινα δωμεν τω ευαγγελιω του χριστου

If others have a share in this right from you, do not we even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but we put up with everything so as not to cause any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ.

13 ουκ οιδατε οτι οι τα ιερα εργαζομενοι εκ του ιερου εσθιουσιν οι τω θυσιαστηριω προσεδρευοντες τω θυσιαστηριω συμμεριζονται

Do you not know that those who minister the sacred things eat from the temple, and those who serve at the altar have a share in the altar?

14 ουτως και ο κυριος διεταξεν τοις το ευαγγελιον καταγγελλουσιν εκ του ευαγγελιου ζην

So also the Lord has instructed those who proclaim the Gospel to live from the Gospel.

15 εγω δε ουδενι εχρησαμην τουτων ουκ εγραψα δε ταυτα ινα ουτως γενηται εν εμοι καλον γαρ μοι μαλλον αποθανειν η το καυχημα μου ινα τις κενωση

Now I have not used any of these rights, nor have I written these things that it should be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void

16 εαν γαρ ευαγγελιζωμαι ουκ εστιν μοι καυχημα αναγκη γαρ μοι επικειται ουαι δε μοι εστιν εαν μη ευαγγελιζωμαι

—I cannot boast because I preach the Gospel, because I am compelled to do so; indeed, woe is me if I do not preach it!

17 ει γαρ εκων τουτο πρασσω μισθον εχω ει δε ακων οικονομιαν πεπιστευμαι

(If I do this of my own volition, I have a reward; but if otherwise, I have been entrusted with a commission.)

18 τις ουν μοι εστιν ο μισθος ινα ευαγγελιζομενος αδαπανον θησω το ευαγγελιον του χριστου εις το μη καταχρησασθαι τη εξουσια μου εν τω ευαγγελιω

So what is my reward? That when I evangelize I may present the Gospel of Christ without charge, so as not to use my rights in the Gospel.

19 ελευθερος γαρ ων εκ παντων πασιν εμαυτον εδουλωσα ινα τους πλειονας κερδησω

Though being free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, in order that I might win the more:

20 και εγενομην τοις ιουδαιοις ως ιουδαιος ινα ιουδαιους κερδησω τοις υπο νομον ως υπο νομον ινα τους υπο νομον κερδησω

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those under law as under law, that I might win those under law;

21 τοις ανομοις ως ανομος μη ων ανομος θεω αλλ εννομος χριστω ινα κερδησω ανομους

to those without law as without law (not being without law toward God but under law toward Christ), that I might win those without law;

22 εγενομην τοις ασθενεσιν ως ασθενης ινα τους ασθενεις κερδησω τοις πασιν γεγονα τα παντα ινα παντως τινας σωσω

to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23 τουτο δε ποιω δια το ευαγγελιον ινα συγκοινωνος αυτου γενωμαι

Now I do this for the sake of the Gospel, so as to become its partner.

24 ουκ οιδατε οτι οι εν σταδιω τρεχοντες παντες μεν τρεχουσιν εις δε λαμβανει το βραβειον ουτως τρεχετε ινα καταλαβητε

Do you not know that in a stadium race all the runners run, but one gets the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.

25 πας δε ο αγωνιζομενος παντα εγκρατευεται εκεινοι μεν ουν ινα φθαρτον στεφανον λαβωσιν ημεις δε αφθαρτον

All athletic competitors exercise general self-control—they do it in order to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.

26 εγω τοινυν ουτως τρεχω ως ουκ αδηλως ουτως πυκτευω ως ουκ αερα δερων

So that is how I ‘run’, with a definite goal; that is how I fight, with well-aimed blows.

27 αλλ υποπιαζω μου το σωμα και δουλαγωγω μηπως αλλοις κηρυξας αυτος αδοκιμος γενωμαι

Yes, I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, having preached to others, I myself should be rejected.