
1 I am a free man. I am an apostle. I have seen our Lord Jesus with my own eyes. You people are an example of my work in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9: 1
2 Even if other people don’t believe me to be an apostle. But you must consider me an apostle. You are a proof that I am an apostle in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9: 2
3 Some people want to question my authority as an apostle. So I give them this answer.
1 Corinthians 9: 3
4 Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?
1 Corinthians 9: 4
5 Do we have the right to take our believing wives with us when we are on a journey, as all the other apostles and our Lord’s brothers and Cephas do?
1 Corinthians 9: 5
6 Is Barnabas the only one who has to work and earn a living?
1 Corinthians 9: 6
7 No one works in the army at his own expense. There is no one who does not eat the grapes from the one who plants the vineyard himself. No one cares for a flock of sheep without a little milk.
1 Corinthians 9: 7
8 These are not the only things people think. This is what God’s law says about them.
1 Corinthians 9: 8
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Behold, the beast of the field, when it swalloweth up the corn; When God said this, was he thinking only of the working animal? No
1 Corinthians 9: 9
10 He was really thinking about us. Yes, that book was written for us. The one who plows and the one who plows should expect to get some grain in return for their work.
1 Corinthians 9:10
11 We have sown spiritual seed among you. So we can get a crop of material things from you. Of course, this is not a big deal.
1 Corinthians 9:11
12 Other people have the right to take things from you. We have more power to do. But we do not use this authority. We ourselves endure all trials so that we do not stop anyone from believing the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:12
13 Of course you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple. And those who work on the altar receive a portion of the altar offering.
1 Corinthians 9:13
14 So it is with those who preach the gospel. It is God’s command that those who preach the gospel should make a living from it.
1 Corinthians 9:14
15 But I did not use any of these rights. And I’m not even trying to get these things. That is not my intention in writing this to you. I would rather die than lose the cause of bragging.
1 Corinthians 9:15
16 For though I preach the gospel, yet I have nothing to boast of. It is my duty to preach the good news which is inevitable for me. If I don’t preach the gospel, it will be very bad for me.
1 Corinthians 9:16
17 If I preach the gospel of my own choosing, I am entitled to a reward. But I don’t like it. I must preach the gospel. I am just doing my duty.
1 Corinthians 9:17
18 So what reward do I get? My reward is this: that when I preach the gospel I can offer it for free. That way I don’t use the right to get paid for preaching the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:18
19 I am free. I am not subject to any human being. But I make myself a slave to all people. I do this to save as many people as possible.
1 Corinthians 9:19
20 For the Jews, I became like the Jews. I did this to help save the Jews. Although I am not under the law, I have become like those who are under the law. I did this so that I could lead those who are ruled by the law to salvation.
1 Corinthians 9:20
21 To them that are without law, as without law, I become. I do this to lead to the salvation of those who do not have the law. But I am not without the law of God. I am under the law of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:21
22 I have become weak so that I can lead those who are weak. I become things for all people. I have done this so that I can save all the people in every possible way.
1 Corinthians 9:22
23 All these things I do for the gospel’s sake. I do all these things so that I may be a partner in the good news of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:23
24 You know that all runners run in a race. But one runner gets a prize. So that’s the way you should run: you have to run to win.
1 Corinthians 9:24
25 Everyone who participates in sports is trained hard. They do this so that they can win the crown. This crown lasts only a short time. But our crown will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:25
26 So I run like a man of purpose. I fight like a fighter who targets the air not like anything but something.
1 Corinthians 9:26
27 So I restrain my body and make it my slave. I do this so that I will not be rejected by God after I have preached to the people.
1 Corinthians 9:27


