1Corinthians 9

9Am 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?G1510G3756G652G1510G3756G1658G3780G3708G2424G5547G2257G2962G2075G3756G5210G3450G2041G1722G29622Even 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.G1487G1510G3756G652G243G235G1065G1510G5213G1063G4973G1699G651G2075G5210G1722G29623This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.G1699G627G350G1691G2076G37784Don't we have the right to food and drink?G2192G3378G1849G5315G2532G40955Don'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 ?G2192G3378G1849G4013G79G1135G5613G2532G3062G652G2532G80G2962G2532G27866Or is it only I and Barnabas who don't have the right not to work for a living?G2228G1473G3441G2532G921G2192G3756G2192G1849G3361G20387Who 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?G5101G4754G4218G2398G3800G5101G5452G290G2532G2068G3756G1537G2590G846G2228G5101G4165G4167G2532G2068G3756G1537G1051G41678Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing?G2980G5023G3361G2596G444G2228G3004G3780G3551G5023G25329For 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?G1063G1125G1722G3551G3475G5392G3756G5392G1016G248G3361G3199G2316G3199G101610Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when farmers plow and thresh, they should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.G2228G3004G3843G1223G2248G1223G1223G2248G1223G1063G1125G3754G722G3784G722G1909G1680G2532G248G1680G3348G1909G846G168011If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?G1487G2249G4687G5213G4152G3173G1487G2249G2325G5216G455912If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.G1487G243G3348G1849G5216G3756G2249G3123G235G5530G3756G5530G5026G1849G235G4722G3956G3363G1325G5100G1464G2098G554713Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?G1492G3756G1492G3754G2038G2413G2068G1537G2411G4332G2379G4829G237914In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.G2532G3779G1299G2962G1299G2605G2098G2198G1537G209815But 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, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.G1161G1473G5530G3762G5130G1161G3756G1125G5023G2443G1096G3779G1096G1722G1698G1063G3123G3427G599G2570G2228G2443G5100G2758G3450G2745G275816For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!G1063G1437G2097G3427G2076G3756G2745G1063G318G1945G3427G1161G3759G2076G3427G3362G2097G3362G209717If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.G1063G1487G4238G5124G1635G2192G3408G1161G1487G210G3622G410018What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not misuse my rights as a preacher of the gospel.G5101G2076G3427G3408G3767G2443G2097G5087G2098G5547G77G1519G2710G3361G3450G1849G1722G209819Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.G1063G5607G1658G1537G3956G1402G1683G1402G3956G2443G2770G411920To 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.G2532G2453G1096G5613G2453G2443G2770G2453G5259G3551G5613G5259G3551G2443G2770G5259G355121To 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.G459G5613G459G5607G3361G459G2316G235G1772G5547G2443G2770G45922To 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.G772G1096G5613G772G2443G2770G772G1096G3956G3956G2443G4982G3843G4982G510023I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.G1161G5124G4160G1223G2098G1223G2443G1096G4791G846G479124Do 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.G1492G3756G3754G5143G1722G4712G5143G3956G3303G1161G1520G2983G1017G3779G5143G2443G263825Everyone 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.G1161G3956G75G1467G3956G3303G3767G1565G2443G2983G5349G4735G1161G2249G86226Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.G1473G5106G3779G5143G3756G5613G84G3779G4438G3756G5613G1194G10927No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.G235G5299G3450G4983G2532G1396G3381G4458G2784G243G846G1096G96