AM I not an apostle? am I not a free man? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2If I am not an apostle unto others, doubtless I am to you: for ye are the seal of my apostolic mission in the Lord. 3My apology to those who interrogate me is this, 4Have we not power to eat and drink? 5Have we not power to carry about with us a sister wife, as do also the other apostles, even the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6or I alone and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear labour? 7Who goeth at any time to war at his own expences? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit of it? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8Speak I these things rationally as a man, or doth not the law speak the same things? 9for in the law of Moses it is written, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn[93].” Doth God take care for oxen? 10or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes doubtless it was written; because he who ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he who soweth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we should reap your corporal things? 12if others partake of this power over you, ought not we much more? But we have not used this power, and we suffer all things, that we might not put any obstruction in the way of the gospel of Christ.
13Know ye not that they who are employed about the holy things, are fed from the temple? and they who serve at the altar, partake with the altar? 14So also the Lord hath commanded to those who preach the gospel, that they should live by the gospel. 15But I have used nothing of these things, nor have I written indeed these things, that it should be so done respecting me; for it would become me to die rather than that any man should make my glorying void. 16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me, yea verily woe is to me if I preach not the gospel. 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with the dispensation of it. 18What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may put the gospel of Christ to no expence, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19For though I be free from all men, I have made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more. 20And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; 21to those who are without law, as without law (not as being without law to God, but under the law to Christ), that I might gain those who were without law. 22I became to the weak as weak, that I might gain the weak; I became all things to all men, that by every means I might save some. 23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you.
24Know ye not that they who run on the course, all run indeed, yet but one obtaineth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every one who contendeth in the games is temperate in all things: they indeed therefore do it that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run not as uncertainly; so do I exercise with my fists, not as striking the air: 27but I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, that I may not by any means, after having preached to others, myself become reprobate.
[CHAP. X.]
BUT I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3and did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock which followed them; but that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless with the most of them God was not well pleased, for they were destroyed in the wilderness.
6Now these things were examples for us, that we might not be coveters of evil things, as they also coveted. 7Neither be ye idolaters as some of them; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to sport themselves[94].” 8Neither let us commit whoredom, as some of them also committed, and in one day fell twenty-three thousand[95]. 9Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted[96], and were destroyed by serpents. 10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and perished by the destroyer[97]. 11Now all these things happened unto them as examples, but they are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages are come. 12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.
13No temptation hath overtaken you, but what is common to men. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able to bear; but will with the temptation make also a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear up under it.
14Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as unto wise men: judge ye what I say. 16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17For we, though many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf.
18Behold Israel after the flesh. Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers with the altar? 19What do I say then? that an idol is any thing, or that which is sacrificed to an idol is any thing? 20But that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to dæmons, and not to God: and I would not have you in communion with dæmons. 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of dæmons: ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and the table of dæmons. 22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?