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Am I not an Apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

If I am not an Apostle to others, nonetheless, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord.

My defense to those who examine me, is this:

Do we not have authority to eat and to drink?

Or do we not have authority to take along a wife who is a sister, just as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or do only Barnabas and I not have authority to not work?

Who goes to war at any time at his own cost? Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of the fruit thereof? Or, who feeds a flock, and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

Do I say these things according to man? Does not the Law say the same also?

For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn’. Is God concerned for oxen?

10 Or does He not undoubtedly say this for our sakes? It is for our sakes this is written. That he who plows, should plow in hope, and that he who threshes in hope, should be a partaker of His hope.

11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap earthly things from you?

12 If others are partakers of this authority over you, should not we be more so? Nevertheless, we have not used this authority, but endure all things, that we should not hinder the Gospel of Christ.

13 Do you not know that those who administer the holy things, eat of the things of the Temple? And those who attend the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 So also has the Lord ordained, that those who preach the Gospel, should live from the Gospel.

15 But I have used none of these things. Nor have I written these things that it should be so done to me. For it would be better for me to die, than that anyone should make my exultation void.

16 For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing in which to exult. For compulsion is laid upon me, and woe is to me, if I do not preach the Gospel.

17 For if I do it willingly, I have a reward. But if I do it against my will, the stewardship is entrusted to me.

18 What is my reward then? Truly, that when I preach the Gospel, I make the Gospel of Christ free, that I do not abuse my authority in the Gospel.

19 For though I am free from all, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I may win the more.

20 And to the Jews, I become as a Jew, that I may win the Jews. To those who are under the Law, as though I were under the Law, that I may win those who are under the Law.

21 To those who are outside the Law, as though I were outside the Law, (being not without Law as pertaining to God, but in the Law through Christ) that I may win those who are outside the Law.

22 To the weak I become as weak, that I may win the weak. I have been made all things to all mankind, that I might by all means save some.

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

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, yet one receives the prize? So, run that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who contends is temperate in all things. And they do so to obtain a corruptible crown; but we for an incorruptible.

26 I, therefore, so run; not uncertainly. I so fight, and not as one who beats the air.

27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection. Lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

Am I not free?(A) Am I not an apostle?(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?(D) Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal(E) of my apostleship in the Lord.

This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink?(F) Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife(G) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers(H) and Cephas[a]?(I) Or is it only I and Barnabas(J) who lack the right to not work for a living?

Who serves as a soldier(K) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard(L) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 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: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[b](M) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?(N) 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,(O) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.(P) 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?(Q) 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

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

13 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?(T) 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.(U)

15 But I have not used any of these rights.(V) 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.(W) 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.(X) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(Y) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(Z) 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(AA) and so not make full use of my rights(AB) as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free(AC) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(AD) to win as many as possible.(AE) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(AF) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(AG) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(AH) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(AI) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(AJ) I have become all things to all people(AK) so that by all possible means I might save some.(AL) 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?(AM) Run(AN) in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown(AO) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(AP) 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;(AQ) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.(AR) 27 No, I strike a blow to my body(AS) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:5 That is, Peter
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:9 Deut. 25:4