1 Corinthians 9 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?

MSTC⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? ² If I be not an apostle unto others, yet am I unto you. For the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ³ Mine answer to them that ask me, is this: ⁴ Have we not power to eat and to drink? ⁵ Either, have we not power to lead about a sister to wife as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶ Either only I and Barnabas have not power this to do? ⁷ Who goeth a warfare any time at his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit? Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk? ⁸ Say I these things after the manner of men? Or sayeth not the law the same also? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, "Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn." Doth God take thought for oxen? ¹⁰ Either saith he it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he which eareth should ear in hope: and that he which thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope. ¹¹ If we sow unto you spiritual things: is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things? ¹² If others be partakers of this power over you, wherefore are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power: but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do ye not understand how that they which minister in the temple, have their finding of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? ¹⁴ Even so also did the Lord ordain, that they which preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things. Neither wrote I these things that it should be so done unto me. For it were better for me to die than any man should take this rejoicing from me. ¹⁶ In that I preach the gospel, I have nothing to rejoice of. For necessity is put unto me. Woe is it unto me if I preach not the gospel. ¹⁷ If I do it with a good will, I have a reward. But if I do it against my will, an office is committed unto me. ¹⁸ What is my reward then? Verily that when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ free, that I misuse not mine authority in the gospel. ¹⁹ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all men, that I might win the more. ²⁰ And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew, to win the Jews. To them that were under the law, was I made as though I had been under the law, to win them that were under the law. ²¹ To them that were without law, became I as though I had been without law — when I was not without law as pertaining to God, but under a law as concerning Christ — to win them that were without law. ²² To the weak became I as weak, to win the weak. In all thing I fashioned myself to all men, to save, at the leastway, some. ²³ And this I do for the Gospel's sake, that I might have my part thereof. ²⁴ Perceive ye not how that they which run in a course, run all, yet but one receiveth the reward? So run that ye may obtain. ²⁵ Every man that proveth masteries abstaineth from all things. And they do it to obtain a corruptible crown: but we to obtain an uncorruptible crown. ²⁶ I therefore so run, not as at an uncertain thing. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air: ²⁷ but I tame my body and bring it into subjection, lest after that I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.