I Corinthians Chapter 9

9 : 1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you my work in the Lord?

9 : 2 If I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.

9 : 3 My answer to them that do examine me is this,

9 : 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

9 : 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

9 : 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

9 : 7 Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

9 : 8 Say I these things as a man? or said not the law the same also?

9 : 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care for oxen?

9 : 10 Or said he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

9 : 11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

9 : 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

9 : 13 Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

9 : 14 Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

9 : 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

9 : 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid on me; yes, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!

9 : 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me.

9 : 18 What is my reward then? Truly that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

9 : 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.

9 : 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

9 : 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

9 : 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

9 : 23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

9 : 24 Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain.

9 : 25 And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

9 : 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air:

9 : 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.