1 Corinthians 9
The apostle Paul defends his right to receive financial support from the Corinthian church, citing his apostleship and the fact that he has sown spiritual seed among them. However, he notes that he has not used this right, choosing instead to support himself in order to preach the gospel free of charge. Paul explains that he has made himself a slave to everyone, adapting to different cultures and situations in order to win as many people as possible to the gospel. He concludes by using the metaphor of an athlete in training, stating that he disciplines his body in order to achieve a lasting crown, rather than a fleeting one.
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.4Don't we have the right to food and drink?5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?6Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing?9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?13But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.16Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.24Do 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.25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
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