1 Corinthians 9:7-18

New Living Translation

⁷What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? ⁸Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? ⁹For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.”^[a] Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? ¹⁰Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

¹¹Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? ¹²If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.

¹³Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. ¹⁴In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. ¹⁵Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. ¹⁶Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!

¹⁷If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. ¹⁸What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.

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Footnotes

9:9 Deut 25:4.

1 Corinthians 9:7-18

New International Version

⁷Who serves as a soldier^(A) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard^(B) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[a]^(C) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^(D) ¹⁰Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(E) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^(F) ¹¹If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?^(G) ¹²If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.^(H) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder^(I) the gospel of Christ.

¹³Don’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?^(J) ¹⁴In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.^(K)

¹⁵But I have not used any of these rights.^(L) 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.^(M) ¹⁶For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.^(N) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;^(O) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.^(P) ¹⁸What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,^(Q) and so not make full use of my rights^(R) as a preacher of the gospel.