1 Corinthians 9

1Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in [the] Lord?

1Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in [the] Lord.

2If 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.

3My defence to those who examine me is this:

3My defence to them that examine me is this.

4Have we not a right to eat and to drink?

4Have we no right to eat and to drink?

5have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

5Have 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?

6Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

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

7Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

7What 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?

8Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

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

9For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. IsGod occupied about the oxen,

9For 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,

10or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

10or 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.

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

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

12If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

12If 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.

13Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

13Know 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?

14So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

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

15But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

15But 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 glorying void.

16For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

16For 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.

17For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

17For 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.

18What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless [to others], so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in [announcing] the glad tidings.

18What 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.

19For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible].

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

20And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:

20And 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;

21to those without law, as without law, (not as without law toGod, but as legitimately subject to Christ,) in order that I might gain [those] without law.

21to 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.

22I became to the weak, [as] weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

22To 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.

23And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

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

24Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

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

25But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

25And 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.

26I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

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

27But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

27but 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.