1 Corinthians 9 — ASVBT
9Verse 1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?Verse 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.Verse 3My defense to them that examine me is this.Verse 4Have we no right to eat and to drink?Verse 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?Verse 6Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?Verse 7What soldier ever serveth 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?Verse 8Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?Verse 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the grain. Is it for the oxen that God careth,Verse 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 in hope, ought to partake of his hope.Verse 11If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?Verse 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.Verse 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?Verse 14Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.Verse 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 glorying void.Verse 16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; but woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.Verse 17For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.Verse 18What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.Verse 19For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.Verse 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, that I might gain them that are under the law;Verse 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.Verse 22To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.Verse 23And I do this for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.Verse 24Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.Verse 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.Verse 26I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:Verse 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.