1 Corinthians
Chapter 9
1 Am I not a messenger? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Leader? Are you not my work in God?
2 Even if I am not an apostle to others, I definitely am to you, for you prove my work as an apostle is true in God.
3 My answer to those who question me is this:
4 Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?
5 Don’t we have the right to bring along a believing wife like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Peter do?
6 Don’t I and Barnabas have the right not to work?
7 Who goes to war at their own expense? Who plants a vineyard and doesn’t eat its grapes? Or who tends sheep and doesn’t drink the milk from the sheep?
8 Do I say these things on my own, or does the law say the same thing too?
9 It is written in the Law of Moses, “Do not put a muzzle on the ox when it is treading the grain.” Does God care about oxen?
10 Does he say this for us, indeed? Without a doubt, it is written for us: the one who plows should plow with hope, and the one who threshes with hope should share in the results of his hope.
11 If we have shared spiritual things with you, is it too much to ask for material things in return?
12 If others share this authority over you, shouldn’t we even more? Yet we haven’t exercised this authority; instead, we endure everything so we won’t block the message of Christ.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in holy places get their living from the temple things? And those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
14 God has decided that those who share the good news should be supported by the good news.
15 I haven’t used any of these rights, and I’m not writing this to get such help. I’d rather die than let anyone take away my reason for pride.
16 Even though I share the good news, I can’t boast about it because I must do it; if I don’t share the good news, it will be bad for me!
17 If I do this willingly, I get a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am still trusted to share God’s message.
18 What then is my reward? Truly, it is this: when I share the good news, I offer it for free so that I do not misuse my rights in spreading the good news.
19 Although I am free from everyone, I have become a servant to all, so that I might win more people.
20 I became like a Jew to win over the Jews. To those following the law, I lived like someone under the law to win them over.
21 To those not following the law, I lived as if I didn’t follow the law (although I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win over those not following the law.
22 I became weak for the weak people, so I could win them over. I became everything for everyone, so I could save some by any possible way.
23 I do this for the good news, so I can share in it with you.
24 Don’t you know that everyone who runs in a race does run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
25 Everyone who competes in games exercises self-control in everything. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable one.
26 I run with purpose, not aimlessly; I fight, not like someone just hitting the air.
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, so that after telling others, I myself will not be disqualified.