1 Corinthians 9
9
Paul does not exercise his right to be paid
1And in relation to all these questions let that be your first thought. Do not think only of the freedom that your faith and knowledge give you. Remember that knowledge may make a man self-sufficient and self-important. It is love that builds. I for instance am free — I am an apostle. I have seen the Lord Jesus myself. 2-5At Corinth, at any rate, my apostleship is unquestioned, because I have there a very certain witness to, and evidence of, the authenticity of my credentials; you yourselves are my credentials. I am the founder of your faith, your church. I repeat then that I have all the rights of this position. 6I have the right to live on the gospel, yes, and to support a wife, if I so choose, on the gospel, to take her with me, as do the other apostles, and our Lord’s brethren in the flesh, and Cephas also. 7-8The vinedresser, the shepherd, the soldier earn their living by what they do. We have the same right ourselves. 9“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.” (Deut. 25:4) These ideas are not my own — they are laid down in scripture. 10Moses’ words have a spiritual meaning, they refer to us and our faith. Do you think that anything in that law merely refers to cattle, and has not some moral or spiritual significance? This text means the law of supply whereby the worker lives through his work and is glad and hopeful thereby, partakes in the blessing he bestows. 11And such rights have I, they are mine according to the scriptures — I have a right to be paid by you, and to exercise authority over you. 12Others already do this, but I have more right than anyone, since it is I who am the founder of your spiritual good fortunes, and that includes also material well-being. But I have never exercised this right, my own idea has been that the gospel of Christ should not bind any burden upon men, however small, that is to say, so far as I was concerned. 13And yet you know that the priests who serve the altars and sacrifices make a living out of it, 14and similarly the Lord expressly declared that those who teach the gospel should live by it. 15But you know that I do not exercise the right and never have.
The reason for his unwillingness to receive pay
And why not? Well, that is my affair! At any rate, I am not writing this now preparatory to claiming any compensation in the future. Far from it — I would rather anything than that my special reason for satisfaction and self-congratulation should be taken away. What is that? you ask. 16The gospel? Oh no, that does not affect me in a personal sense — I have to preach the gospel, woe unto me, if I preach it not. 17If I enjoy it, and do it willingly, I am well paid. If it is distressful to me, still I have my stewardship to fulfil, and must be faithful to it. 18But what is my special reward, what is the peculiar compensation which accrues to me out of the pains I take in spreading this teaching? Why, just the doing it for nothing, — preaching the gospel at no man’s charges — that is my special privilege. In other words, the privilege and the right which I most relish and cling to most earnestly, is just this — to make no use of my rights and privileges!
What it means to be all things to all men
19And I declare I carry that principle through all that I do. I absolutely neglect my own point of view. 20Other people’s opinions, other people’s beliefs and creeds and traditions, other people’s weaknesses — these all become my own. The freer I am myself, the more I seem to become the slave of others! And though this is past a joke, yet I do it willingly, because thereby I win people. At one time the Jewish tradition and the law are everything to me — that is because I am with Jews. 21And now they are nothing to me — because I am with Gentiles. Oh yes, the law is something to me, the divine law, Christ’s laws I mean, but not the law of the Jews. 22But with the weak I become weak myself — all things to all men in fact, if only I can win a few. 23And why do I do all this? Why do I take everybody else’s point of view except my own? For the sake of the Gospel, because I wish to have a share in it myself — on just the same principle as the athlete trains for a contest. 24He sacrifices everything to the one end, if he can only carry off those much coveted laurels. 25And so a man must sacrifice himself, his own prejudices and predilections, and self-esteem, if he is to gain that immortal chaplet. 26That is the secret of my life. I do not hit out at random, but I go to work in a scientific manner, like one who trains for a boxing match. My blows are well and cunningly directed. 27They are aimed at myself, my physical being, my physical ego; otherwise what guarantee is there that I shall be saved myself, even though I have preached to others.
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1 Corinthians 9: GWC
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Translated in 1916, published in 1937.
1 Corinthians 9
9
1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Yeshua [God is Salvation] Moshiach [Messiah] our Lord - Kurios? are not you2f my work in the Lord - Kurios?
2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you2f in the Lord - Kurios.
3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord - Kurios, and Kefa [pebble]?
6Or I only and Bar-Nabba [son of rest], have not we power to refrain (restrain; refrein from acting) working?
7Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
8Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?
9For it is written in the law of Moshe [He Who Draws Out Of The Waters], youi shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God-The Father take care for oxen?
10Or says he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal (of the flesh, sensual) things?
12If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer (allow, to let, permit) all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel (joyful message) of Moshiach [Messiah].
13Do you2f 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?
14Even so has the Lord - Kurios ordained that they which preach the Gospel (joyful message) should live of the Gospel (joyful message).
15But 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.
16For though I preach the Gospel (joyful message), I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel (joyful message)!
17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the Gospel (joyful message)] is committed unto me.
18What is my reward then? [Truly] that, when I preach the Gospel (joyful message), I may make the Gospel (joyful message) of Moshiach [Messiah] without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel (joyful message).
19For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself slave unto all, that I might gain the more.
20And unto the Y’hudim (Judeans) [praised of Yah] I became as a Jewish person, that I might gain the Y’hudim (Judeans) [praised of Yah]; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God-The Father, but under the law to Moshiach [Messiah],) that I might gain them that are without law.
22To 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.
23And this I do for the Gospel (joyful message)’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].
24Know you2f not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you2f may obtain.
25And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air:
27But 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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