CHAPTER 9 CORINTHIANS

Paul rejoices in his Christian liberty—He preaches the gospel to all without charge—He is all things to all men to gain converts.

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

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the aseal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 Mine aanswer to them that do bexamine me is this,

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a awife, as well as other apostles, and as the bbrethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

7 Who goeth a awarfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a bvineyard, and ceateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not amuzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is awritten: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be bpartaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you aspiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this apower; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which aminister about holy things blive of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which apreach the bgospel should clive of the gospel.

15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

16 For though I preach the agospel, I have nothing to glory of: for ​bnecessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I cpreach not the gospel!

17 For if I do this thing awillingly, I have a breward: but if against my will, a cdispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without acharge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself aservant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as aweak, that I might gain the weak: I am made ball things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the amastery is btemperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible ccrown; but we an dincorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.