“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts(A)

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35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals,(A) did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

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He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.(A) Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”(B)

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Who 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? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For 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) 10 Surely 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) 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?(G) 12 If 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.

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

15 But 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) 16 For 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! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(O) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(P) 18 What 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.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free(S) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(T) to win as many as possible.(U) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(V) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(W) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(X) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(Y) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(Z) I have become all things to all people(AA) so that by all possible means I might save some.(AB) 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?(AC) Run(AD) in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown(AE) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(AF) 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;(AG) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.(AH) 27 No, I strike a blow to my body(AI) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(AJ)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:9 Deut. 25:4

Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.(A) Do not move around from house to house.

“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.(B) Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God(C) has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you.(D) Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’(E) 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom(F) than for that town.(G)

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These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet(A) as a testimony against them.”

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