1 Corinthians 9

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

2 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 This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:

4 Have we no right to food and to drink?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law, to win those under the law.

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

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

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

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

1 ¶ Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 ¶ Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For 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?

10 Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

15 ¶ But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto me.

18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19 ¶ For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.

23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].

24 ¶ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen our Lord Jesus Christ? Are ye not my workmanship in the Lord?

2 Though I be not an apostle to others, yet am I your apostle: for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 Thus, when I am asked, I answer:

4 have we not power to eat and drink?

5 Have we not power to take a sister to wife with us, as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or have not I and Barnaba alone power to do this?

7 What man ever goeth to war out of his own pay? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 But do I speak these things in the manner of men? Does not the law also say these things?

9 For in the law of Moses it is written: Thou shalt not bind up the mouth of the bullock that treadeth therein. Does God take care of the oxen?

10 Or saith he not all for our sakes? For it is written for our sakes. For he that ploweth shall plow for hope; and he that thresheth shall thresh for hope, that he may be partaker of his hope.

11 If we sow you spiritual things, is it a great matter whether we reap your bodily things?

12 But if others are partakers of this power in you, why not much more we? But we have not used such power, but have endured all things, that we should not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

13 Know ye not that they which sacrifice eat of the sacrifice, and they which keep the altar eat of the altar?

14 So also the LORD commanded that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel.

15 But I have not needed any of these. I also do not write about it so that it should be kept with me. I would rather die than that no one should destroy my fame.

16 For that I preach the gospel, I cannot boast; for I must do it. And woe is me, if I preach not the gospel!

17 If I do it gladly, I shall be rewarded: but if I do it unwillingly, yet the office is commanded me.

18 What then is my reward? To preach the gospel of Christ, and to do it freely, that I may not abuse my liberty in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself the servant of all men, that I may gain them much.

20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews. To them that are under the law have I become as under the law, that I might win them that are under the law.

21 To them that are without law have I become as without law (though I am not without law before God, but am in the law of Christ), that I might win them that are without law.

22 To the weak I became as a weak man, that I might win the weak. I am become all things to all men, that I might save some in all places.

23 But these things do I for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it.

24 Know ye not that they which run in the stocks run all, but one getteth the jewel? Run therefore, that ye may take it.

25 But every one that fighteth abstaineth from all things: so that they receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

26 But I run thus, not as into the unknown; I fence thus, not as he that sweepeth into the air,

27 But I stupefy my body, and tame it, lest I preach to others, and become reprobate myself.