1 Corinthians 9 — WBMS
9Verse 1Whether I am not free? Am I not apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord?Verse 2And though to others I am not apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood in the Lord.Verse 3My defence to them that ask me, that is [or is this].Verse 4Whether we have not power to eat and drink?Verse 5Whether we have not power to lead about a woman, a sister, as also other apostles, and brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?Verse 6Or I alone and Barnabas have not power to work these things?Verse 7Who travaileth any time with his own [soldier’s] wages? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of his fruit? Who keepeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?Verse 8Whether after man I say these things? whether also the law saith not these things?Verse 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not bind [up] the mouth of the ox that thresheth. Whether of oxen is charge to God?Verse 10Whether for us he saith these things? For why those be written for us; for he that eareth, oweth to ear in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope to take fruits.Verse 11If we sow spiritual things to you, is it great, if we reap your fleshly things?Verse 12If others be partners of your power, why not rather we? But we use not this power, but we suffer all things, that we give no hindering to the evangel of Christ.Verse 13Know ye not, that they that work in the temple, eat those things that be of the temple, and they that serve to the altar, be partners of the altar?Verse 14So the Lord ordained to them that tell the gospel, to live of the gospel.Verse 15But I used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that they be done so in me; for it is good rather for me to die, than that any man avoid my glory.Verse 16For if I preach the gospel, glory is not to me, for need-like I must do it; for woe to me, if I preach not the gospel.Verse 17But if I do this thing willfully [or willingly], I have meed; but if against my will, dispensing [or dispensation] is betaken to me.Verse 18What then is my meed? That I preaching the gospel, put the gospel without others’ cost, [or expense, either taking of sustenance therefore], that I use [or mis-use] not my power in the gospel.Verse 19For why when I was free of all men, I made me servant of all men, to win the more men [or that I should win more men].Verse 20And to Jews I am made as a Jew, to win the Jews; to them that be under the law, as I were under the law, when I was not under the law, to win them that were under the law;Verse 21to them that were without law, as I were without law, when I was not without [the] law of God, but I was in the law of Christ, to win them that were without [the] law.Verse 22I am made sick to sick men, to win sick men; to all men I am made all things, to make all men safe.Verse 23But I do all things for the gospel, that I be made partner of it.Verse 24Know ye not, that they that run in a furlong, all run, but one taketh the prize? So run ye, that ye catch.Verse 25Each man that striveth in fight, abstaineth him from all things; and they, that they take a corruptible crown, but we an uncorrupt.Verse 26Therefore I run so, not as to an uncertain thing; thus I fight, not as beating the air;Verse 27but I chastise my body, and bring it into servage [or servitude]; lest peradventure when I preach to others, I myself be made reprovable.