1 Corinthians 9
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye
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 ye 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 serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk
of the flock?
8 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the
same?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he
treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
10 or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written:
because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, [to
thresh] in hope of partaking.
11 If we sowed unto 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 ye 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 unto 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 ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the
prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth 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.