{"book":"1 Corinthians","slug":"1-corinthians","ch":9,"genre":"letter","sub":"1 Corinthians","prev":"1-corinthians/8","next":"1-corinthians/10","verses":[{"v":1,"t":"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you [yourselves] not my workmanship in [the] Lord?","f":[],"h":"The Rights of an Apostle","style":"reg"},{"v":2,"t":"Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in [the] Lord.","f":[]},{"v":3,"t":"This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":4,"t":"Have we no right to food and to drink?","f":[]},{"v":5,"t":"Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as [do] the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?","f":["Literally take along a sister—a wife—","That is, Peter"]},{"v":6,"t":"Or {are} Barnabas and I the only [ apostles ] who must work for a living?","f":["Literally Or is it only Barnabas and I who do not have authority not to work?"]},{"v":7,"t":"Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of [its] milk?","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":8,"t":"Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t [the] Law say the same thing?","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":9,"t":"For it is written in the Law of Moses:“ Do not muzzle an ox [while it is] treading out the grain.” [Is it] about oxen [that] God is concerned?","f":["Deuteronomy 25:4"]},{"v":10,"t":"Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because [when] the plowman plows and the thresher [ threshes ], [they] should [also] expect to share in the harvest.","f":[]},{"v":11,"t":"If we have sown spiritual [seed] among you, [is it] too much for us to reap a material [harvest] from you?","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":12,"t":"If others have [this] right to your [support], shouldn’t we [have it] all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.","f":[]},{"v":13,"t":"Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of [its food], [and] those who serve at the altar partake of [its] [offerings]?","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":14,"t":"In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.","f":[]},{"v":15,"t":"But I have not used [any] of these [rights]. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than {let} anyone nullify my boast.","f":[]},{"v":16,"t":"Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated [to preach]. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":17,"t":"If my [preaching] [is] voluntary, I have a reward. But if [it is] not voluntary, I am [still] entrusted with [a] responsibility.","f":[]},{"v":18,"t":"What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer [it] free of charge, and so not use up my rights in [preaching] [it].","f":[]},{"v":19,"t":"Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.","f":[],"h":"Paul the Servant to All","style":"reg"},{"v":20,"t":"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), to win those under [the] law.","f":[]},{"v":21,"t":"To those without [the] law [I became like one] without [the] law ([though I] am not outside [the] law of God but [am] under [the] law of Christ), to win those without [the] law.","f":[]},{"v":22,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":23,"t":"I do all [this] for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its [blessings].","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":24,"t":"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take [the prize].","f":[],"h":"Run Your Race to Win","style":"reg"},{"v":25,"t":"Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They [do it] [for] a crown [that is] perishable, but we [ do it for a crown ] [that is] imperishable.","f":[]},{"v":26,"t":"Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating [the] air.","f":[]},{"v":27,"t":"No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, [so that] after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.","f":[]}]}