1 Corinthians 9
New Living Translation
Paul Gives Up His Rights
9 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 apostle.
3 This is my answer to those who question my authority.[a] 4 Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5 Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife[b] with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?
7 What 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? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.”[d] Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’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.
11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If 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.
13 Don’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. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 15 Yet 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. 16 Yet 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!
17 If 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. 18 What 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.
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,[e] I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
9 Am I eimi not ou free eleutheros? Am I eimi not ou an apostle apostolos? Have I horaō not ouchi seen horaō Jesus Iēsous · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios? Are eimi you hymeis not ou the result of · ho my egō labor ergon in en the Lord kyrios? 2 If ei to others allos I am eimi not ou an apostle apostolos, at least alla I am eimi to you hymeis, for gar you hymeis are eimi the ho proof sphragis of ho my egō apostleship apostolē in en the Lord kyrios.
3 · ho This houtos is eimi my emos defense apologia to those ho who sit in judgment on anakrinō me egō. 4 Do we not ou have echō the right exousia to eat esthiō and kai drink pinō? 5 Do we not ou have echō the right exousia to the company of periagō a believing adelphē wife gynē, as hōs also kai the ho other loipos apostles apostolos, · kai the ho Lord’ s kyrios brothers adelphos, · ho and kai Cephas Kēphas do? 6 Or ē is it only monos I egō and kai Barnabas Barnabas who have echō no ou right exousia to refrain mē from working ergazomai? 7 Who tis ever pote serves in the army at his own idios expense opsōnion? Who tis plants phyteuō a vineyard ampelōn and kai does esthiō not ou eat esthiō · ho its autos fruit karpos? Or ē who tis tends poimainō a flock poimnē and kai does esthiō not ou drink esthiō of ek · ho its poimnē milk gala? · ho
8 Am I saying laleō these things houtos from kata a merely human anthrōpos point of view? Or ē · kai does legō not ou the ho Law nomos say legō the same houtos? 9 For gar in en the ho Law nomos of Moses Mōysēs it is written graphō, “ You shall not ou muzzle kēmoō an ox bous while it is treading out aloaō the grain.” It is not mē for ho oxen bous that God theos is concerned melei, · ho is it? 10 Or ē does he legō not speak legō entirely pantōs for dia our hēmeis sake. To be sure gar, it was written graphō for dia our hēmeis sake, because hoti the ho one plowing arotriaō should opheilō plow arotriaō in epi hope elpis and kai the ho one threshing aloaō thresh in epi hope elpis of ho sharing metechō in the crop. 11 If ei we hēmeis sowed speirō spiritual things pneumatikos among you hymeis, · ho is it too much megas if ei we hēmeis reap therizō material things sarkikos from you hymeis? · ho 12 If ei others allos have a share in metechō this right exousia over ho you hymeis, do not ou we hēmeis even more mallon? Nevertheless alla, we have not ou made chraomai use of · ho this houtos right exousia, but alla endure stegō all pas things lest hina mē we place didōmi some tis obstacle enkopē in the way of the ho gospel euangelion of ho Christ Christos. 13 Do you not ou know oida that hoti those ho who perform ergazomai · ho sacred rites hieros · ho in the temple eat food esthiō from ek the ho temple hieron, and those ho who serve paredreuō at the ho altar thusiastērion share in symmerizō the ho sacrificial thusiastērion offerings ? 14 In the same way houtōs, · kai the ho Lord kyrios gave instructions diatassō to those ho who proclaim katangellō the ho gospel euangelion that they should get their living zaō from ek the ho gospel euangelion.
15 But de I egō have not ou used chraomai any oudeis of these houtos rights. And de I am not ou writing graphō this houtos so that hina something will be done ginomai for en me egō; for gar it would be better kalos for me egō rather mallon to die apothnēskō— no one oudeis shall take away kenoō · ho my egō ground for boasting kauchēma! 16 If ean I preach euangelizō the gospel , I egō do not ou have eimi a ground kauchēma for boasting , for gar I egō am compelled anankē to do so epikeimai. Woe ouai is eimi me egō if ean I do not mē preach euangelizō the gospel ! 17 For gar if ei I do prassō this houtos willingly hekōn, I have echō a reward misthos. But de if ei unwillingly akōn, I have been entrusted with pisteuō a charge oikonomia. 18 What tis then oun is eimi my egō · ho reward misthos? That hina when I preach euangelizō I may present tithēmi the ho gospel euangelion free of charge adapanos, and so eis not mē make full use katachraomai of · ho my egō right exousia in en the ho gospel euangelion.
19 For gar though I am eimi free eleutheros from ek all pas, I have made douloō myself emautou a servant douloō to all pas, so that hina I might win kerdainō · ho as many as possible polys. 20 · kai To the ho Jews Ioudaios I became ginomai as hōs a Jew Ioudaios that hina I might win kerdainō Jews Ioudaios. To those ho under hypo the law nomos I became as hōs one under hypo the law nomos ( though I eimi myself autos am eimi not mē under hypo the law nomos) that hina I might win kerdainō those ho under hypo the law nomos. 21 To those ho outside anomos the law I became as hōs one outside the law anomos ( though I am eimi not mē free from the law anomos of God theos but alla subject to the law ennomos of Christ Christos) that hina I might win kerdainō those ho outside the law anomos. 22 To the ho weak asthenēs I became ginomai weak asthenēs that hina I might win kerdainō the ho weak asthenēs. I have become ginomai all things pas to ho all pas people , that hina by all means pantōs I might save sōzō some tis. 23 I do poieō all pas things · de for the sake dia of the ho gospel euangelion, that hina I may ginomai share with them in its autos benefits synkoinōnos.
24 Do you not ou know oida that hoti all pas who ho run trechō in en the stadium stadion compete trechō but de only one heis receives lambanō the ho prize brabeion? So houtōs run trechō that hina you may win katalambanō. 25 Everyone pas · de who ho competes agōnizomai exercises self-control in enkrateuomai all pas things . They ekeinos do it to hina receive lambanō a perishable phthartos wreath stephanos, but de we hēmeis for an imperishable aphthartos one. 26 So I egō do not ou run trechō aimlessly adēlōs; I do not ou box pykteuō like hōs one flailing derō the air aēr. 27 But alla I discipline hypōpiazō my egō · ho body sōma and kai bring it into subjection doulagōgeō, so that pōs having preached kēryssō to others allos I ginomai myself autos should ginomai not mē be ginomai disqualified adokimos.
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