1 Corinthians 9 — GNV
9Verse 1Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my worke in the Lord?Verse 2If I be not an Apostle vnto other, yet doutlesse I am vnto you: for ye are the seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord.Verse 3My defence to them that examine mee, is this,Verse 4Haue we not power to eat and to drinke?Verse 5Or haue we not power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?Verse 6Or I only and Barnabas, haue not we power not to worke?Verse 7Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coste? who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?Verse 8Say I these thinges according to man? saith not the Lawe the same also?Verse 9For it is written in the Lawe of Moses, Thou shalt not mussell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: doeth God take care for oxen?Verse 10Either saith hee it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt it is written, that he which eareth, should eare in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope.Verse 11If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?Verse 12If others with you bee partakers of this power, are not we rather? neuerthelesse, we haue not vsed this power: but suffer all things, that we should not hinder the Gospel of Christ.Verse 13Doe ye not knowe, that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? and they which waite at the altar, are partakers with the altar?Verse 14So also hath the Lord ordeined, that they which preach ye Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.Verse 15But I haue vsed none of these things: neither wrote I these things, that it should be so done vnto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my reioycing vaine.Verse 16For though I preach the Gospel, I haue nothing to reioyce of: for necessitie is laid vpon me, and woe is vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel.Verse 17For if I do it willingly, I haue a reward, but if I do it against my will, notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me.Verse 18What is my reward then? verely that when I preach the Gospel, I make the Gospel of Christ free, that I abuse not mine authoritie in ye Gospel.Verse 19For though I bee free from all men, yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men, that I might winne the moe.Verse 20And vnto the Iewes, I become as a Iewe, that I may winne the Iewes: to them that are vnder the Lawe, as though I were vnder the Lawe, that I may winne them that are vnder the Lawe:Verse 21To them that are without Lawe, as though I were without Lawe, (when I am not without Lawe as pertaining to God, but am in the Lawe through Christ) that I may winne them that are without Lawe:Verse 22To the weake I become as weake, that I may winne the weake: I am made all thinges to all men, that I might by all meanes saue some.Verse 23And this I doe for the Gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.Verse 24Knowe ye not, that they which runne in a race, runne all, yet one receiueth the price? so runne that ye may obtaine.Verse 25And euery man that proueth masteries, abstaineth from all things: and they do it to obtaine a corruptible crowne: but we for an vncorruptible.Verse 26I therefore so runne, not as vncertainely: so fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre.Verse 27But I beate downe my body, and bring it into subiection, lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other, I my selfe should be reproued.