1 Corinthians Chapter 9
1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not the fruit of my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 Therefore my answer to those who examine me is this:
4 Do we not have authority⁺ to eat and to drink?
5 Do we not have authority⁺ to go around⁺ with a sister or a wife, as well as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas~?
6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who do not have authority⁺ to forgo⁺ temporal work in order to minister.
7 Who ever⁺ soldiers⁺ at his own expense⁺? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?
8 Do I say these things as a man? Or does the law not say the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses: You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God care about oxen? Deuteronomy 25:4
10 Or does He say this entirely⁺ for our sakes? No doubt this is written for our sakes so that those who plow should plow in hope, and those who thresh in hope should be partakers of their hope.
11 If we have sown spiritual things to you, is it a great thing to you if we reap some of your worldly⁺ things?
12 If others are partakers of this authority⁺ over you, should we not just as much⁺? Nevertheless we have not used this authority⁺, but we suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those who minister about holy things live from the things of the temple? And those who attend⁺ at the altar are partakers of the altar?
14 Even so, the Lord has ordained that those who proclaim⁺ the Gospel should live from the fruit of the Gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things. Nor have I written these things so that it should be so done for me. For it is better for me to die than that anyone should make my rejoicing⁺ void.
16 For although I proclaim⁺ the Gospel, I have nothing to boast⁺ about, for this necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe is me if I do not proclaim⁺ the Gospel.
17 For if I do this willingly, I will have a reward in it. But even if it was not willingly, the administration⁺ of the Gospel is entrusted⁺ to me.
18 What is my reward then? Truly⁺ it is that when I proclaim⁺ the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge so that I do not abuse my authority⁺ in the Gospel.
19 For though I am free from all people, yet I have made myself a servant to all so that I might gain that many more.
20 To the Jews I became like a Jew so that I might gain the Jews. To those who are under the law I became as though under the law so that I might gain those who are under the law.
21 To those outside⁺ the law I became as though I was outside⁺ the law. Not outside⁺ of God's law, but under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are outside⁺ the law.
22 To the weak I became weak so that I might gain the weak. I have become⁺ all things to all people so that I might by all means rescue⁺ some.
23 I do this for the sake of the Gospel so that I might be a partaker of it with you.
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Therefore, run so that you may obtain it.
25 Everyone⁺ who strives for victory is temperate~ in all things. Now some⁺ strive to obtain a worldly⁺ crown. But we do it to obtain an incorruptible~ crown.
26 Therefore, I so run, but not with uncertainty. I do not fight as one who beats the air aimlessly.
27 But I keep my body under control and bring it into subjection~, lest by any means, when I have proclaimed⁺ the Word to others, I myself should become a reprobate⁺.