1 Corinthians 9:15-27

New American Standard Bible

¹⁵ But I have ^(A)used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make ^(B)my boast an empty one! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for ^(C)I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach ^(D)the gospel. ¹⁷ For if I do this voluntarily, I have a ^(E)reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a ^(F)commission nonetheless. ¹⁸ What, then, is my ^(G)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel ^(H)without charge, so as ^(I)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I am ^(J)free from all people, I have made myself ^(K)a slave to all, so that I may ^(L)gain more. ^20 (M)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though ^(N)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are ^(O)without the Law, I became ^(P)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but ^(Q)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. ²² To the ^(R)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become ^(S)all things to all people, ^(T)so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

^24 (U)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives ^(V)the prize? ^(W)Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who ^(X)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable ^(Y)wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I ^(Z)run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as ^[a]to avoid ^(AA)hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline ^(AB)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.