I Corinthians 9 - BibleForge

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Chapter 9

Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my worke in the Lord?

2 If I bee not an Apostle vnto others, yet doubtlesse I am to you: for the seale of mine Apostleship are yee in the Lord.

3 Mine answere to them that doe examine me, is this:

4 Haue wee not power to eate and to drinke?

5 Haue we not power to lead about a sister a wife aswel as other Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I onely and Barnabas, haue not we power to forbeare working?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruite thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the Law the same also?

9 For it is written in the Law of Moyses, Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: doth God take care for oxen?

11 If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if wee shall reape your carnall things?

12 If others bee partakers of this power ouer you, are not we rather? Neuerthelesse, we haue not vsed this power: but suffer all things, lest wee should hinder the Gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, liue of the things of the Temple? and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar?

14 Euen so hath the Lord ordeined, that they which preach the Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.

15 But I haue vsed none of these things. Neither haue I written these things, that it should bee so done vnto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my glorying voyd.

16 For though I preach the Gospel, I haue nothing to glorie of: for necessitie is laid vpon mee, yea, woe is vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel.

17 For if I doe this thing willingly, I haue a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed vnto me.

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.

19 For though I bee free from all men, yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all, that I might gaine the more.

20 And vnto the Iewes, I became as a Iew, that I might gaine the Iewes: to them that are vnder the Law, as vnder the Law, that I might gaine them that are vnder the Law:

21 To them that are without Law, as without Law (being not without Law to God, but vnder the Law to Christ,) that I might gaine them that are without Law.

22 To the weake became I as weake, that I might gaine the weake: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all meanes saue some.

23 And this I doe for the Gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24 Know yee not that they which runne in a race, runne all, but one receiueth the price? So runne, that yee may obtaine.

25 And euery man that striueth for the masterie, is temperate in all things: Now they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crowne, but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so runne, not as vncertainely: so fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre:

27 But I keepe vnder my body, and bring it into subiection: lest that by any meanes when I haue preached to others, I my selfe should be a castaway.

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