1Corinthians:9

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Seeker Overlay ON

* Am I not an apostle ? Am I not free ? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ? Are you not my work in the Lord ? * 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 . * My defense to those who examine me is this : * Do we not have [the ] right to eat and drink ? * Do we not have [the ] right to take along a wife [who is ] a sister , as do also the other apostles , the brothers of the Lord , and Cephas ? * Or is it only Barnabas and I who must work for a living ? * Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense ? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit ? Or who tends a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock ? * Do I say these things as a mere man ? Or does not the law say these things also ? * For it is written in the law of Moses , "You shall not muzzle an ox while it threshes ."Is it oxen God is concerned about ? * Or does He say [this ] altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes , no doubt , for it is written , that he that plows should plow in hope , and he that threshes , in hope should partake of his hope . * If we have sown spiritual things for you , [is it ] a great thing if we reap your material things ? * If others partake of this right over you , do not we even more ? Nevertheless we did not use this right , but bear all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ . * Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat from the temple , and those who serve at the altar have a share in the altar ? * Thus also the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to live from the gospel . * But I used none of these things , nor have I written these things that it should become thus for me ; for it is better for me rather to die than that anyone should make my boasting void . * For if I preach the gospel , there is nothing for me to boast about , for necessity is pressed upon me ; yes , woe is me if I do not preach the gospel ! * For if I do this willingly , I have a reward ; but if unwillingly , I have been entrusted with a commission . * What then is my reward ? That when I preach the gospel , I may present the gospel of Christ free of charge , so as not to exploit my rights in the gospel . * For being free from all [men ], I have made myself a servant to all , in order that I might win the more ; * and to the Jews I became as a Jew , in order that I might win Jews ; to those who are under law , as under law , in order that I might win those who are under law ; * to those outside the law , as [one ] outside the law (not being outside the law toward God , but subject to [the ]law toward Christ ), in order that I might win those outside the law ; * to the weak I became as weak , in order that I might win the weak . I have become all things to all [men ], that I might by all means save some . * Now this I do for the sake of the gospel , in order that I may become a partaker of it [with you ]. * Do you not know that those running in a stadium all run , but one receives the prize ? So run , in order that you may win . * And everyone who competes exercises self-control [in ] all things . Now they [compete ] in order that they may receive a perishable crown , but we [compete ] [for ]an imperishable crown . * Therefore I run thus : not as without a goal , thus I box : not as one beating the air . * But I treat my body roughly , and I bring it into subjection , lest , having preached to others , I myself should become disqualified .

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