1 Corinthians 9

Am I not free [unrestrained and exempt from any obligation]? Am I not an apostle? Have I not ^[a]seen Jesus our [risen] Lord [in person]? Are you not [the result and proof of] my work in the Lord?

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?

If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it].

Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]:

This is my defence to those who sit in judgment on me.

Have we not the right to our food and drink [at the expense of the churches]?

Don’t we have the right to food and drink?

Have we not the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas (Peter)?

Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas^[a]?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop doing manual labor [in order to support our ministry]?

Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?

[Consider this:] Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?

Do I say these things only from a man’s perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles?

Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating the grain].” Is it [only] for oxen that God cares?

For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’^[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

Or does He speak entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake: The plowman ought to plow ^[b]in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest.

Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever ploughs and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?

If others share in this rightful claim over you, do not we even more? However, we did not exercise this right, but we put up with everything so that we will not hinder [the spread of] the good news of Christ.

If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

Do you not know that those who officiate in the sacred services of the temple eat from the temple [offerings of meat and bread] and those who regularly attend the altar have their share from the [offerings brought to the] altar?

Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?

So also [on the same principle] the Lord directed those who preach the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my ^[c]boast [in this matter of financial support].

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.

For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]!

For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

For if I do this work ^[d]of my own free will, then I have a reward; but if it is not of my will [but by God’s choosing], I have been entrusted with a [sacred] stewardship.

If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.

What then is my reward? [Just this:] that, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge [to everyone], so as not to take advantage of my rights [as a preacher and apostle] in [preaching] the gospel.

What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s use of his freedom

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ].

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the Law, [I became] as one ^[e]under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those who are under the Law.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.

To those who are without (outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.

To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.

To the ^[f]weak I became [as the] weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means [in any and every way] save some [by leading them to faith in Jesus Christ].

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

And I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings along with you.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The need for self-discipline

^[g]Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a ^[h]crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither].

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever.

Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing].

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].

No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.