9:5 Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?
9:7 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?
9:8 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?
9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
9:10 or saith he it altogether 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.
9:11 If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
9:12 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 gospel of Christ.
9:13 Know ye not that they which minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
9:14 Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.
9:15 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.
9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.
9:17 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.
9:18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
9:19 For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
9:20 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;
9:21 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.
9:22 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.
9:23 And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may attain.
9:25 And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
9:26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:
9:27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
Your support helps pay our hosting costs, and
- with a little bit extra -
lets us pay transcribers and proofreaders.
If you can help, Click here to become a Patreon:
www.patreon.com/IslamAwakened Thank you!