1 Corinthians 9 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 9 ▼
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1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you⁺ not my work in the Lord? Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet indeed I am to you⁺; for you⁺ are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those examining me: This is my defense to those who would examine me. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.
4 Have we no authority to eat and to drink? Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Don’t we have the right to food and drink?
5 Have we no authority to take along a sister—a wife—as also the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
6 Or do only I and Barnabas have no authority to work? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
8 Do I not speak these things according to man, or does the law not also say these things? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
9 For in the law of Moses it has been written: “You shall not muzzle an ox treading out grain.” Is there care for the oxen with God? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
10 Or does He speak because of us entirely? For it was written because of us, because in hope the one plowing ought to plow, and the one threshing—in hope to partake. Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
11 If we sowed spiritual things among you⁺, is it too much if we will reap fleshly things from you⁺? If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
12 If others partake of the authority over you⁺, should we not more? But we did not use this authority. But we bear all things, so that we should not give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do you⁺ not know that those working in the temple eat the things of the temple, and those attending at the altar partake in the altar? Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 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?
14 So also, the Lord directed those proclaiming the gospel to live from the gospel. In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these. And neither did I write these things so that it should be thus with me; for it is good for me rather to die than that anyone will make void my boasting. But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. But I have not used any of these rights. 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.
16 For if I preach the gospel, there is no boasting to me, for necessity is laid upon me. But woe be to me if I should not preach the gospel! For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
18 What then is my reward? That preaching the gospel, I should lay down the gospel free of charge, so as not to use up my authority in the gospel. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
19 For being free from all, I myself became a slave to all, so that I might gain the more. For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
20 And I became to the Jews as a Jew, so that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law (myself not being under the law), so that I might gain those under the law; To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
21 to those without the law, as without the law (not being without the law of God, but within the law of Christ), so that I might gain those without the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all, so that by all means I might save some. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
23 Now I do all because of the gospel, so that I might become a fellow partaker of it. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24 Do you⁺ not know that those running in a race indeed all run, but one receives the prize? Run thus, so that you⁺ might obtain it. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25 Now everyone striving controls himself in all things; these indeed then so that they might receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26 Therefore I run thus, not as aimlessly; I fight thus, not as beating the air. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
27 But I batter my body and bring it into servitude, lest somehow, having preached to others, I myself might be disqualified. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
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