The Epistle of Paul to the First 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? 9:2If 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. 9:3My defence to them that
examine me is this. 9:4Have we no right to eat and to drink? 9:5Have 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? 9:6Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right
to forbear working? 9:7What 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? 9:8Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or
saith not the law also the same? 9:9For 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, 9:10or 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. 9:11If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if
we shall reap your carnal things? 9:12If 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. 9:13Know 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? 9:14Even so did the Lord ordain that
they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel. 9:15But 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. 9:16For 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. 9:17For 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. 9:18What 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.
9:19For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that
I might gain the more. 9:20And 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; 9:21to 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. 9:22To 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. 9:23And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker
thereof. 9:24Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the
prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 9:25And 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. 9:26I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not
beating the air: 9:27but 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.