1 Corinthians 9

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

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

2if to others I am not an apostle--yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

2If to others I am not an Apostle, at least I am one to you: for the fact that you are Christians is the sign that I am an Apostle.

3My defence to those who examine me in this;

3My answer to those who are judging me is this.

4have we not authority to eat and to drink?

4Have we no right to take food and drink?

5have we not authority a sister--a wife--to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

5Have we no right to take about with us a Christian wife, like the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

6or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority--not to work?

6Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to take a rest from work?

7who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

7Who ever goes to war without looking to someone to be responsible for his payment? who puts in vines and does not take the fruit of them? or who takes care of sheep without drinking of their milk?

8According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?

8Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same?

9for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?

9For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders?

10or because of us by all means doth He say <FI>it<Fi> ? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading <FI>ought<Fi> of his hope to partake in hope.

10Or has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it.

11If we to you the spiritual things did sow--great <FI>is it<Fi> if we your fleshly things do reap?

11If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?

12if others do partake of the authority over you--not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.

12If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of Christ.

13Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple--of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar--with the altar are partakers?

13Do you not see that the servants of the holy things get their living from the Temple, and the servants of the altar have their part in the food which is offered on the altar?

14so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

14Even so did the Lord give orders that the preachers of the good news might get their living from the good news.

15And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for <FI>it is<Fi> good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;

15But I have not made use of any of these things: and I am not writing this in the hope that it may be so for me: for it would be better for me to undergo death, than for any man to make this pride of mine of no effect.

16for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

16For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

17for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly--with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

17But if I do it gladly, I have a reward; and if not, I am under orders to do it.

18What, then, is my reward? --that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

18What then is my reward? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of the good news.

19for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

19For though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation.

20and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;

20And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law.

21to those without law, as without law--(not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) --that I might gain those without law;

21To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the law.

22I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.

22To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation.

23And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

23And I do all things for the cause of the good news, so that I may have a part in it.

24have ye not known that those running in a race--all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;

24Do you not see that in a running competition all take part, but only one gets the reward? So let your minds be fixed on the reward.

25and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;

25And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

26I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;

26So then I am running, not uncertainly; so I am fighting, not as one who gives blows in the air:

27but I chastise my body, and bring <FI>it<Fi> into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others--I myself may become disapproved.

27But I give blows to my body, and keep it under control, for fear that, after having given the good news to others, I myself might not have God's approval.