1 Corinthians 9

⁹ Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?

² If 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.

³ My defence to them that examine me is this.

⁴ Have we no right to eat and to drink?

⁵ Have 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?

⁶ Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?

⁷ What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

⁸ Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?

⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, ¹⁰ or 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, [to thresh] in hope of partaking.

¹¹ If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?

¹² If 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.

¹³ Know 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?

¹⁴ Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.

¹⁵ But 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 glorifying void.

¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.

¹⁷ For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.

¹⁸ What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

²⁰ And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; ²¹ to 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.

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

²³ And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

²⁴ Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

²⁵ And 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.

²⁶ I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: ²⁷ but 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.