1 Corinthians 9:1-27
9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Jesus our Lord have I not seen? Are not ye my work in the Lord?
2 If unto others I am not an apostle Certainly at least unto you I am; For the seal of my apostleship ye are in the Lord.
3 My defence unto them who are examining me is this:—
4 Have we not a right to eat and drink?
5 Have we not a right to take round a sister wife,—As even the rest of the apostles and the brethren of the Lord and Cephas?
6 Or have only I and Barnabas not a right to forbear working?
7 Who serveth as a soldier at his own charges at any time? Who planteth a vineyard,—and the fruit thereof doth not eat? [Or] who shepherdeth a flock,—and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?
8 Is it after the manner of men that these things I am saying? Or doth not even the law the same things say?
9 For in the law of Moses it is written—Thou shalt not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the corn:—Is it for the oxen God is caring?
10 Or for our sakes altogether is he saying it? For our sakes it was written; Because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope,—And he that thresheth [to thresh] in hope of partaking.
11 If we unto you the things of the Spirit have sown Is it a great matter if we of you the things of the flesh shall reap?
12 If others of this right over you are partaking [Should] not rather we? Nevertheless we used not this right; but all [such] things do we conceal,—lest we should cause any hindrance unto the glad message of the Christ.
13 Know ye not That they who labour in the holy rites Do eat the provisions out of the holy place?—They who at the altar wait Do with the altar share?
14 Thus also hath the Lord appointed—That they who the glad message tell Should of the glad-message live.
15 I however have not used any of these things; and have not written these things in order that so it should be done in my case; For it were good for me rather to die than——My boast shall no man make void!
16 For if I be telling the glad-message it is with me no matter of boasting; for necessity upon me lieth,—for it is Woe to me if I should not be telling the glad-message;
17 For if by choice this thing I am doing I have a reward; But if not by choice with a stewardship have I been entrusted!
18 What then is my reward? That in telling the glad-message free of cost I should put the glad-message,—to the end I should not use to the full my right in the glad-message.
19 For though free from all Unto all myself I enslaved,—That the larger number I might win:
20 Therefore became I to the Jews as a Jew,—That Jews I might win; To them who were under law as under law,—Not being myself under law,—That them who were under law I might win;
21 To them who were without law as without law,—Not being without law to God, But lawfully subject to Christ,—That I might win them who were without law.
22 I became unto the weak weak,—That the weak I might win;—To all men have I become all things, That by all means some I might save.
23 But all things am I doing for the sake of the glad-message, That a joint-partaker thereof I may become.
24 Know ye not That they who in a racecourse run All indeed run,—But one receiveth the prize? So be running that ye may lay hold.
25 But every man who striveth in the games In all things useth self-control;—They indeed then that a corruptible crown they may receive; But we an incorruptible!
26 I therefore So am running as not uncertainly, So am boxing as not thrashing air;
27 But am beating my body under and leading it captive, Lest by any means—Unto others having proclaimed [the contest] I myself should be rejected.