Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
9 Am not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?
2 And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defence with them that do examine me is this.
4 Have not we power to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?
7 Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things?
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 this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
13 Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar?
14 So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void.
16 For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me:
18 What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.
20 And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:
21 To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.
23 And I do all things for the gospel's sake: that I may be made partaker thereof.
24 Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.
25 And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.
26 I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:
27 But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.
10 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
2 And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea:
3 And did all eat the same spiritual food,
4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.)
5 But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert.
6 Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things as they also coveted.
7 Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents.
10 Neither do you murmur: as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.
13 Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.
15 I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.
16 The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?
17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.
18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar?
19 What then? Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is any thing? Or, that the idol is any thing?
20 But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.
21 You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify.
24 Let no man seek his own, but that which is another's.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat; asking no question for conscience' sake.
26 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you will be willing to go; eat of any thing that is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it for his sake that told it, and for conscience' sake.
29 Conscience, I say, not thy own, but the other's. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?
30 If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks?
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Be without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:
33 As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that may be saved.
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