The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2000.
The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to theCorinthians
Corinthians 9
The Rights of Those Who Preach the Gospel | ||||||
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 doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. | |||||
3 |
¶ Mine answer to them that do examine me is this: | |||||
4 |
Have we not power to eat and to drink? | |||||
5 |
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? | |||||
6 |
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? | |||||
7 |
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? | |||||
8 |
¶ Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? | |||||
9 |
For it is written in the law of Moses,
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10 |
or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. | |||||
11 |
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? Rom. 15.27 | |||||
12 |
If others be partakers of this power over you, 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 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 Deut. 18.1 ? | |||||
14 |
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Mt. 10.10 · Lk. 10.7 | |||||
15 |
¶ 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. | |||||
16 |
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! | |||||
17 |
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. | |||||
18 |
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. | |||||
19 |
¶ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. | |||||
20 |
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; | |||||
21 |
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. | |||||
22 |
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. | |||||
23 |
And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. | |||||
24 |
¶ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. | |||||
25 |
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. | |||||
26 |
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: | |||||
27 |
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. |
Published by The American Bible Society
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