9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my work in the Lord?
9:2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for ye are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
9:3 My answer to them that examine me is this,
9:4 Have we no right to eat and to drink?
9:5 Have we no right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to forbear working?
9:7 Who goeth to war at any time at his own expense? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
9:8 Do I say these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the grain. Doth God take care for oxen?
9:10 Or saith he [this] 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.
9:11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
9:12 If others are partakers of [this] right over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this right; but endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
9:13 Do ye not know that they who minister about holy things live [from the things] of the temple? and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.
9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for [it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!
9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed to me.
9:18 What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my right in the gospel.
9:19 For though I am free from all [men], yet I have made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.
9:20 And to 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;
9:21 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.
9:22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.
9:23 And this I do for the gospel�s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with [you].
9:24 Know ye not that they who run in a race all run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
9:25 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.
9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so I fight, not as one that beateth the air:
9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
