1 Corinthians 9
9
1AM not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?
2And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3My defence with them that do examine me is this.
4Have not we power to eat and to drink?
5Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?
7Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things?
9For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.
11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?
12If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
13Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar?
14So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.
15But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void.
16For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me:
18What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.
20And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:
21To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law.
22To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.
23And I do all things for the gospel's sake: that I may be made partaker thereof.
24Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.
25And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.
26I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:
27But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
1 Corinthians 9
9
Waiving rights for the gospel
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord? 2If I’m not an apostle to others, at least I am to you! You are the seal that shows I’m an apostle. 3This is my defense against those who criticize me. 4Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? 5Don’t we have the right to travel with a wife who believes like the rest of the apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who don’t have the right to not work for our living? 7Who joins the army and pays their own way? Who plants a vineyard and doesn’t eat its fruit? Who shepherds a flock and doesn’t drink its milk? 8I’m not saying these things just based on common sense, am I? Doesn’t the Law itself say these things? 9In Moses’ Law it’s written: “You will not muzzle the ox when it is threshing”.#9.9 Deut 25:4 Is God worried about oxen, 10or did he say this entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake because the one who plows and the one who threshes should each do so with the hope of sharing the produce. 11If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it so much to ask to harvest some material things from you?
12If others have these rights over you, don’t we deserve them all the more? However, we haven’t made use of this right, but we put up with everything so we don’t put any obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get to eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share part of what is sacrificed on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should get their living from the gospel. 15But I haven’t taken advantage of this. And I’m not writing this so that it will be done for me. It’s better for me to die than to lose my right to brag about this! 16If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to brag, since I’m obligated to do it. I’m in trouble if I don’t preach the gospel. 17If I do this voluntarily, I get rewarded for it. But if I’m forced to do it, then I’ve been charged with a responsibility. 18What reward do I get? That when I preach, I offer the good news free of charge. That’s why I don’t use the rights to which I’m entitled through the gospel.
19Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them. 20I act like a Jew to the Jews, so I can recruit Jews. I act like I’m under the Law to those under the Law, so I can recruit those who are under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law). 21I act like I’m outside the Law to those who are outside the Law, so I can recruit those outside the Law (though I’m not outside the law of God but rather under the law of Christ). 22I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. 23All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
24Don’t you know that all the runners in the stadium run, but only one gets the prize? So run to win. 25Everyone who competes practices self-discipline in everything. The runners do this to get a crown of leaves that shrivel up and die, but we do it to receive a crown that never dies. 26So now this is how I run—not without a clear goal in sight. I fight like a boxer in the ring, not like someone who is shadowboxing. 27Rather, I’m landing punches on my own body and subduing it like a slave. I do this to be sure that I myself won’t be disqualified after preaching to others.
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