1 Corinthians 9

Paul defends his apostleship and his right to financial support from those he serves, though he has not used that right so as not to hinder the gospel. He declares that he makes himself servant to all in order to win more, and disciplines his body like an athlete so that after preaching to others he himself is not disqualified.

v	King James Version	Modern English
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?	Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are You not 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.	Even if I am not an apostle to others, I certainly am to You! For You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3	Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,	This is my defense to those who would examine me:
4	Have we not power to eat and to drink?	Do we not have the right 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?	Do we not have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?
6	Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?	Or is it only I and Barnabas who have no right to stop working for a living?
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?	Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?
8	Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?	Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same?
9	For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?	For in the law of Moses it is written: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
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.	Surely He says this for our sake, doesn't He? Yes, it was written for us, because the one who plows and the one who threshes should both work in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
11	If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?	If we sowed spiritual seed among you, is it too much to reap a material harvest from you?
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.	If others exercise this right over You, should we not even more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we endure everything so as not to put any obstacle in the way of 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?	Do You not know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?
14	Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.	In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
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.	But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to get such treatment. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.
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!	For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, since I am compelled to preach it. Woe to me if I do not preach 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.	If I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if not voluntarily, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
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.	What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and not make full use of my rights 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.	Though I am free from everyone, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
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;	To the Jews I became like a Jew in order to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law, so I might win those 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.	To those outside the law I became like one outside the law — not being outside God's law but inside Christ's law — in order to win those outside the 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.	To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
23	And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.	I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
24	Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.	Do You not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
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.	Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. 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:	Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating 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.	No, I beat my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.