1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13

New King James Version

Serving All Men

¹⁹ For though I am ^(A)free from all men, ^(B)I have made myself a servant to all, ^(C)that I might win the more; ²⁰ and ^(D)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the ^[a]law, that I might win those who are under the law; ^21 (E)to ^(F)those who are without law, as without law ^(G)(not being without ^[b]law toward God, but under ^[c]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; ^22 (H)to the weak I became ^[d]as weak, that I might win the weak. ^(I)I have become all things to all men, ^(J)that I might by all means save some. ²³ Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Striving for a Crown

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? ^(K)Run in such a way that you may ^[e]obtain it. ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize ^[f]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for ^(L)an imperishable crown. ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: ^(M)not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ^27 (N)But I discipline my body and ^(O)bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become ^(P)disqualified.

Old Testament Examples

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under ^(Q)the cloud, all passed through ^(R)the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same ^(S)spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same ^(T)spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies ^(U)were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as ^(V)they also lusted. ^7 (W)And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ^(X)“The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ^8 (Y)Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as ^(Z)some of them did, and ^(AA)in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us ^[g]tempt Christ, as ^(AB)some of them also tempted, and ^(AC)were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as ^(AD)some of them also complained, and ^(AE)were destroyed by ^(AF)the destroyer. ¹¹ Now ^[h]all these things happened to them as examples, and ^(AG)they were written for our ^[i]admonition, ^(AH)upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

¹² Therefore ^(AI)let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but ^(AJ)God is faithful, ^(AK)who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to ^[j]bear it.