      | ¶ | Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? | |
| If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. | ||
 | Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, | ||
| Have we not power to eat and to drink? | ||
| Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? | ||
 | Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? | ||
| Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? | ||
| Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? | ||
| For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? | ||
| Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. | ||
| If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? | ||
| If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. | ||
| Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? | ||
| Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. | ||
| 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. | ||
| For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! | ||
| For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto me. | ||
| What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. | ||
 | ¶ | For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. | |
| 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; | ||
| 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. | ||
| To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some. | ||
| And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you]. | ||
| ¶ | Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. | |
| And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. | ||
| I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: | ||
| 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. |
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From the Blue Letter Bible
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King James Version (KJV)
1 Corinthians - Chapter 9
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