THE FIRST EPISTLE
OF
PAUL THE APOSTLE
TO THE
CORINTHIANS
1 Corinthians 9 ©
1 The apostle, to bring the Corinthians better to the right use of indifferent things, sets before them his own example, and for this end he here interposes a discourse of the maintenance of the ministers of the church, and testifies that he, as well as other apostles, had power to receive maintenance. 7 Produces several reasons to prove this, taken from them who serve in the war, who plant a vineyard and feed a flock. 9 Of an ox that threshes. 11 Of a sower. 13 Of those who serve the temple or altar. 15 And declares that nevertheless he made no use of this power, neither would he use it, because he did not judge this for edification amongst them, and that he might not abuse his power. 19 But that he in every way accommodated himself to weak christians as well as Jews and Gentiles in different things, the better to gain them. 24 Finally exhorts them by the similitudes of those who strive to outrun one another in the race, and who fight or wrestle, as also by his own example, to sobriety and diligent progress in godliness.
AM I not an apostle? am I not 1free? havea I not 2seen Jesus Christ our Lord? areb not ye 3my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless 4I am to you: for 5the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Mine answer to them 6that do examine me is this,
Havec we not power 7to eat and to drink?
Have we not power 8to lead about a sister, 9a wife, as well as other apostles, and as 10the brethren of the Lord, and 11Cephas?d
Or I only and Barnabas, have 12not we power to forbear working?
Who goethe a warfare any time at his own charges? who plantethf a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or whog feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things 13as a man? or saith not 14the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thouh shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox 15that treadeth out the corn. 16Doth God take care for oxen?
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow 17in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
Ifi18we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your 19carnal things?
If 20others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Neverthelessj we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should 21hinder the gospel of Christ.
Do ye not know thatk they 22which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait 23at the altar are partakers 24with the altar?
Evenl so hath 25he Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live 26of the gospel.
But I have used 27none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were 28better for me 29to die, than that any man should make 30my glorying void.
For though I preach the gospel, 31I have nothing to glory of: form32necessity is laid upon me; yea, 33woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
For if I do this thing 34willingly, I have a 35reward: but if 36against my will, a dispensationnof the gospel 37is committed unto me.
38What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I 39abuse not 40my power in the gospel.
For though I be free 41from all men, yet have I made myself servant 42unto all, that I might 43gain the more.
Ando unto 44the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under 45the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
Top them that are 46without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but 47under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
Toq the 48weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save 49some.
And this I do for the gospel’s sake, 50that I might be partaker thereof with you.
51Know ye not that they which 52run in a race run all, but 53one receiveth the prize? So 54run, that ye may 55obtain.
Andr every man 56that striveth for the mastery is 57temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a 58corruptible crown; but we ans59incorruptible.
I therefore so run, 60not as uncertainly; so fight I, not 61as one that beateth the air:
But I 62keep under my body, and bring it 63into subjection: lest that by any means, when I 64have preached to others, I myself should be 65a castaway.t