1 Corinthians 9:1-14

21st Century King James Version

9 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?

² If I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you. For ye are the seal of mine apostleship in the Lord.

³ Mine answer to those who examine me is this:

⁴ Have we not power to eat and to drink?

⁵ Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as do other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

⁶ Or is it I only and Barnabas who have not power to forbear working?

⁷ Who goeth to war at any time at his own expense? 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?

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 Moses: “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.” Doth God take care for oxen,

¹⁰ or doth He say 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.

¹¹ If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it so great a thing if we should reap your worldly things?

¹² If others are partakers of this power over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ.

¹³ Do ye not know that those who minister concerning holy things live of the things of the temple, and those who wait upon the altar are partakers with the altar?

¹⁴ Even so hath the Lord ordained that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel.