1 Corinthians 9 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 9 ▼
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1 I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you? 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 other people, surely I am one to you, for you are the evidence of my apostolic authority from 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 who would examine me: This is my defense to those who would examine me. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.
4 We have the right to earn our food, don't we? Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Don’t we have the right to food and drink?
5 We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we? 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 is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living? 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 ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk? 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 I am not saying this on human authority, am I? The Law says the same thing, doesn't it? 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 is written, |You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.| God is not only concerned about oxen, is he? 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 Isn't he really speaking for our benefit? Yes, this was written for our benefit, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 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 have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits 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 enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we tolerate everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of the Messiah. 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 You know that those who work in the Temple get their food from the Temple and that those who serve at the altar get their share of its offerings, don't you? 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 In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who proclaim the gospel should make their living 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 rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason for 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, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't 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 preach voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with that obligation. 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? It is to be able to preach the gospel free of charge, and so I never resort to demanding my rights when I'm preaching 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 Although I am free from everyone's expectations, I have made myself a servant to all of them to win more people. 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 To the Jews I became like a Jew in order to win Jews. To those under the Law I became like a man under the Law, in order to win those under the Law (although I myself am not 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 who do not have the Law, I became like a man who does not have the Law in order to win those who do not have the Law. However, I am not free from God's Law, but I'm subject to the Messiah's 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 in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some of them. 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 I do all this for the sake of the gospel in order to have a share in its blessings. 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 You know that in a race all the runners run but only one wins the prize, don't you? You must run in such a way that you may be victorious. 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 Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades. 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 That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing. 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 No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow 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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