1Cor 9
1
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus 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 the seal of mine apostleship
are you in the Lord.
3
My defence to them that examine me is this.
4
Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5
Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the
apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?
7
What soldier ever serves at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not the
fruit thereof? Or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
8
Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or says not the law also the same?
9
For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads
out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God cares,
10
or says he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he
who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes, [to thresh] in hope of partaking.
11
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great matter 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
gospel of Christ.
13
Know you not that they that minister about sacred things eat [of] the things of the
temple, [and] they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
14
Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the
gospel.
15
But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be
so done in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die, than that any man should
make my glorifying void.
16
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon
me; for woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel.
17
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I
have a stewardship intrusted to me.
18
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without
charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
19
For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that
I might gain the more.
20
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under
the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them
that are under the law;
21
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under
law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
22
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all
men, that I may by all means save some.
23
And I do all things for the gospel`s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
24
Know you not that they that run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? Even
so run; that you may attain.
25
And every man that strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now
they [do it] to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26
I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:
27
but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have
preached to others, I myself should be rejected.