Chapter 9

  Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?  

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  If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.  

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  My defence to them that examine me is this.  

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  Have we no right to eat and to drink?  

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  Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?  

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  Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?  

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  What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?  

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  Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?  

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  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,  

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  or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, [to thresh] in hope of partaking.  

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  If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?  

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  If others partake of [this] right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.  

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  Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat [of] the things of the temple, [and] they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?  

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  Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.  

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  But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorifying void.  

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  For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.  

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  For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.  

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  What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.  

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  For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.  

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  And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;  

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  to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.  

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  To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.  

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  And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.  

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  Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.  

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  And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they [do it] to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  

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  I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:  

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  but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.  

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