1 Corinthians 9
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NET BibleNew American Standard Bible 1995
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the confirming sign of my apostleship in the Lord.2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who examine me.3My defense to those who examine me is this:
4Do we not have the right to financial support?4Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
5Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?5Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
6Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?6Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
7Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?7Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well?8I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
9For it is written in the law of Moses, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?9For it is written in the Law of Moses, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about oxen, is He?
10Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.10Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
11If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?11If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.12If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
13Don't you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?13Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?
14In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.14So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than--no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!15But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
17For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.17For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
18What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel. 18What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people.19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
20To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law.20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
21To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God's law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.21to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
23I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it. 23I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
24Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 25Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air.26Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
27Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified. 27but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
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1 Corinthians 8
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