18What then is my reward? That, in preaching the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, that I use not to the full my power in the gospel. 19For being free from all men, I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. 20And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, that I might gain those under law; 21to those without law, as without law (not being without law to God, but under law to Christ), that I might gain those without law. 22To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all, that I may by all means save some. 23And all things I do for the gospel's sake, that I may become a partaker thereof with others[23].
24Know ye not that they who run in a race, all indeed run, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every one who contends for the prize is temperate in all things; they indeed to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; I so fight, as not beating the air. 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest haply, having preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
X. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2and were all immersed unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5But in the most of them God had no pleasure; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6Now these things were examples to us, in order that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7Nor be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8Nor let us commit fornication, as some of them did, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents. 10Nor murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12Wherefore let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. 13There has no temptation taken you but such as belongs to man; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able, but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a partaking of the blood of Christ? The loaf which we break, is it not a partaking of the body of Christ? 17Because we, the many, are one loaf, one body; for we all share in that one loaf.
18Behold Israel according to the flesh. Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19What then do I say? That an idol is anything, or that what is offered to idols is anything? 20Nay; but that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I would not that ye should be partakers of the demons. 21Ye can not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons; ye can not share in the table of the Lord, and the table of demons.
22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient; all things are lawful, but not all things edify. 24Let no one seek his own, but his neighbor's good.
25Whatever is sold in the market eat, asking no question for conscience sake'; 26for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.