1 Corinthians 9 - American Standard Version (ASV)

9 Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3 My defence to them that examine me is this. 4 Have we no right to eat and to drink? 5 Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a [a]believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? 7 What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, [b]Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, 10 or saith he it [c]assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. 11 If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the [d]gospel of Christ. 13 Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar? 14 Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the [e]gospel should live of the [f]gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For if I [g]preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I [h]preach not the gospel. 17 For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? That, when I [i]preach the gospel, I may make the [j]gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the [k]gospel. 19 For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23 And I do all things for the [l]gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a [m]race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so [n]fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I [o]buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I [p]have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Greek sister.
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:9 Dt. 25:4.
  3. 1 Corinthians 9:10 Or, altogether
  4. 1 Corinthians 9:12 See marginal note on 4:15.
  5. 1 Corinthians 9:14 See marginal note on 4:15.
  6. 1 Corinthians 9:14 See marginal note on 4:15.
  7. 1 Corinthians 9:16 See marginal note on 1:17.
  8. 1 Corinthians 9:16 See marginal note on 1:17.
  9. 1 Corinthians 9:18 See marginal note on 1:17.
  10. 1 Corinthians 9:18 See marginal note on 4:15.
  11. 1 Corinthians 9:18 See marginal note on 4:15.
  12. 1 Corinthians 9:23 See marginal note on 4:15.
  13. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Greek race-course.
  14. 1 Corinthians 9:26 Greek box.
  15. 1 Corinthians 9:27 Greek bruise. Lk. 18:5.
  16. 1 Corinthians 9:27 Or, have been a herald

You Might Also Like:

1 Corinthians 9 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

9 Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord? 2 if to others I am not an apostle -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3 My defence to those who examine me in this; 4 have we not authority to ea...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

9 Whether I am not free? Am I not apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord? 2 And though to others I am not apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood [for why ye be the signal, or little sign, of mine apostle...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you people not proof of the work I do for the Lord? 2 If other people do not call me an apostle, yet surely I am an apostle to you. You people are the proof that I am an apostle for the Lord. 3 Here is what I say to the people...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - World English Bible (WEB)

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Have we no right to eat an...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - The Voice (VOICE)

Meat left over from pagan temple sacrifices was sold daily in the market. It was about the only option available for those who didn’t raise their own livestock. Paul knows that idols are nothing really because there is only one God, but another brother thinks he is engaging in a heinous act and supp...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Servant Leadership Wins Over All9 Am I not free? Am I not an emissary? Have I not seen Yeshua our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an emissary, at least I am to you—for you are the seal of my office of emissary in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me is this....
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Rights of an Apostle9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

9 Am I not an Apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an Apostle to others, nonetheless, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me, is this: 4 Do we not have autho...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The ‘Rights’ of an Apostle9 I’m a free man, aren’t I? I’m an apostle, aren’t I? I’ve seen Jesus our Lord, haven’t I? You are my work in the Lord, aren’t you? 2 I may not be an apostle to other people, but I certainly am to you; in fact, you are the authorized stamp of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Rights of an Apostle9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?(A)2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.(B)3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Love forgoes the thing that she may do according to the law. Paul exhorts them to keep on running in the course that they have begun. 9 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet I am to you. Fo...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul Gives Up His Rights9 Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? 2 Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s ap...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New Life Version (NLV)

A Missionary’s Rights9 Am I not a missionary? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not Christians because of the work I have done for the Lord? 2 Other people may not think of me as a missionary, but you do. It proves I am a missionary because you are Christians now. 3 When peopl...
Read More

1 Corinthians 9 - New King James Version (NKJV)

A Pattern of Self-Denial9 Am (A)I not an apostle? Am I not free? (B)Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? (C)Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are (D)the [a]seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine m...
Read More