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9:1 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?
9:2 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.
9:3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
9:4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
9:5 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?
9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
9:7 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?
9:8 Say I 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 corn. Doth God take
care for oxen?
9:10 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.
9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing
if we shall reap your carnal things?
9:12 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.
9:13 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?
9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the
gospel should live of the gospel.
9:15 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.
9:16 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!
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
unto 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 abuse
not my power in the gospel.
9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself
servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
9:20 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;
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 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.
9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker
thereof with you.
9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, 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 fight I, not as one
that beateth the air:
9:27 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.
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Everything King James Bible:1 Corinthians