1st Corinthians 9
9
CHAPTER 9
1Whether I am not free? Am I not apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord?
2And though to others I am not apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood in the Lord.
3My defence to them that ask me, that is [or is this].
4Whether we have not power to eat and drink?
5Whether we have not power to lead about a woman, a sister, as also other apostles, and brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6Or I alone and Barnabas have not power to work these things?
7Who travaileth any time with his own [soldier’s] wages? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of his fruit? Who keepeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8Whether after man I say these things? whether also the law saith not these things?
9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not bind [up] the mouth of the ox that thresheth. Whether of oxen is charge to God?
10Whether for us he saith these things? For why those be written for us; for he that eareth, oweth to ear in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope to take fruits.
11If we sow spiritual things to you, is it great, if we reap your fleshly things?
12If others be partners of your power, why not rather we? But we use not this power, but we suffer all things, that we give no hindering to the evangel of Christ.
13Know ye not, that they that work in the temple, eat those things that be of the temple, and they that serve to the altar, be partners of the altar?
14So the Lord ordained to them that tell the gospel, to live of the gospel.
15But I used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that they be done so in me; for it is good rather for me to die, than that any man avoid my glory.
16For if I preach the gospel, glory is not to me, for need-like I must do it; for woe to me, if I preach not the gospel.
17But if I do this thing willfully [or willingly], I have meed; but if against my will, dispensing [or dispensation] is betaken to me.
18What then is my meed? That I preaching the gospel, put the gospel without others’ cost, [or expense, either taking of sustenance therefore], that I use [or mis-use] not my power in the gospel.
19For why when I was free of all men, I made me servant of all men, to win the more men [or that I should win more men].
20And to Jews I am made as a Jew, to win the Jews; to them that be under the law, as I were under the law, when I was not under the law, to win them that were under the law;
21to them that were without law, as I were without law, when I was not without [the] law of God, but I was in the law of Christ, to win them that were without [the] law.
22I am made sick to sick men, to win sick men; to all men I am made all things, to make all men safe.
23But I do all things for the gospel, that I be made partner of it.
24Know ye not, that they that run in a furlong, all run, but one taketh the prize? So run ye, that ye catch.
25Each man that striveth in fight, abstaineth him from all things; and they, that they take a corruptible crown, but we an uncorrupt.
26Therefore I run so, not as to an uncertain thing; thus I fight, not as beating the air;
27but I chastise my body, and bring it into servage [or servitude]; lest peradventure when I preach to others, I myself be made reprovable.
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Wycliffe’s Bible with Modern Spelling ©2017
Wycliffe’s Apocrypha ©2013, 2015
Wycliffe’s Bible © 2012, 2015
Wycliffe’s New Testament ©2001, 2011
Wycliffe’s Old Testament ©2001, 2010
1 Corinthians 9
9
Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
1Aren’t I free? Aren’t I an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you the result of my work for the Lord? 2Others might not think of me as an apostle, but I’m certainly one to you! You’re the proof that I am the Lord’s apostle.
3This is how I defend myself when people judge me. 4Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? 5Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us when we travel? That’s what the other apostles do, and the Lord’s brothers and Peter do the same. 6Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to do other work to support ourselves while we serve as apostles?
7Who serves as a soldier but has to pay his own expenses? Who plants a vineyard but doesn’t get to eat any of its grapes? Who takes care of a flock but doesn’t get to drink any of the milk from the sheep? 8Do I say this only on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9It’s written in the Law of Moses, “Don’t stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” But is God concerned only for oxen? 10Isn’t he saying that for all of us too? Yes, it was written for us. Whoever plows and whoever separates the grain has a right to hope that they will share in the harvest. 11We have planted spiritual seed among you. Is it too much for us to expect to receive some material things from you? 12If others have the right to receive support from you, don’t we have an even greater right?
But we haven’t used that right. No, we’re prepared to make any sacrifice we have to, rather than let anything get in the way of the good news of Christ.
13Don’t you know that people who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that people who serve at the altar eat the food that’s offered on the altar? 14So those who preach the good news should also receive their living from that work. That’s what the Lord has commanded.
15But I haven’t used any of those rights. And I’m not writing this because I want you to do things like that for me. I’d rather die than let anyone take away the satisfaction I get from bragging about this. 16I’m not bragging about preaching the good news. I have to preach the good news—woe to me if I don’t! 17If I preach because I want to, I get a reward. If I preach because I have to, I’m only doing my duty. 18So what reward do I get? Here’s my reward: being able to offer the good news free of charge, without claiming all my rights as a person who preaches the good news.
Paul Uses His Freedom to Share the Good News
19I’m free and I don’t belong to anyone, but I’ve made myself a slave to everyone. I’ve done that to win as many people as I can to Christ. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, in order to win the Jews. To those who are under the law, I became like one who was under the law, even though I’m actually not under the law myself, in order to win those under the law. 21To those who don’t have the law, I became like one who didn’t have the law (even though I’m not free from God’s law, but under Christ’s law), in order to win those who don’t have the law. 22To those who are weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all of this for the sake of the good news, so that I can share in its blessings.
Training to Win the Prize
24Don’t you know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? So run in a way that will get you the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games trains hard. They do that to get a crown that won’t last. But we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26So I don’t run like someone who doesn’t know where the finish line is. I don’t fight like a boxer who hits nothing but air. 27No, I train my body and bring it under control, so that after I’ve preached to others, I won’t be disqualified myself.
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