1Corinthians:9
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Am I not an apostle ?
am I not free ?
have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ?
are not you my work in the Lord ?
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If I be not an apostle unto others ,
yet doubtless I am to you :
for the seal of mine apostleship are you in the Lord .
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Mine answer to them that do examine me is this ,
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Have we not power to eat and to drink ?
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Have we not power to lead about a sister ,
a wife ,
as well as other apostles ,
and as the brothers of the Lord ,
and Cephas ?
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Or I only and Barnabas ,
have not we power to forbear working ?
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Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges ?
who plants a vineyard ,
and eats not of the fruit of it ?
or who feeds a flock ,
and eats not of the milk of the flock ?
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Say I these things as a man ?
or says not the law the same also ?
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For it is written in the law of Moses ,
You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn .
Does God take care for oxen ?
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Or says he it altogether for our sakes ?
For our sakes ,
no doubt ,
this is written :
that he that plows should plow in hope ;
and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope .
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If we have sown unto you spiritual things ,
is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?
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If others be partakers of this power over you ,
are not we rather ?
Nevertheless we have not used this power ;
but tolerate all things ,
lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ .
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Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple ?
and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar ?
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Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel .
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But I have used none of these things :
neither have I written these things ,
that it should be so done unto me :
for it were better for me to die ,
than that any man should make my glorying void .
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For though I preach the gospel ,
I have nothing to glory of :
for necessity is laid upon me ;
yes ,
woe is unto me ,
if I preach not the gospel !
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For if I do this thing willingly ,
I have a reward :
but if against my will ,
a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me .
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What is my reward then ?
truthfully that ,
when I preach the gospel ,
I may make the gospel of Christ without charge ,
that I abuse not my power in the gospel .
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For though I be free from all men ,
yet have I made myself servant unto all ,
that I might gain the more .
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And unto the Jews I became as a Jew ,
that I might gain the Jews ;
to them that are under the law ,
as under the law ,
that I might gain them that are under the law ;
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To them that are without law ,
as without law , (
being not without law to God ,
but under the law to Christ ,)
that I might gain them that are without law .
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To the weak 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 some .
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And this I do for the gospel '
s sake ,
that I might be partaker of it with you .
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Do you not know that they which run in a race run all ,
but one receives the prize ?
So run ,
that you may obtain .
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And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things .
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown ;
but we an incorruptible .
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I therefore so run ,
not as uncertainly ;
so fight I ,
not as one that beats the air :
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But I keep under my body ,
and bring it into subjection :
lest that by any means ,
when I have preached to others ,
I myself should be a castaway .