CHAPTER IV.
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ENTITLED TO A SUPPORT, PAUL'S LABORS WITHOUT CHARGE.
1 9:1AM I not a freeman? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? 9:2If I am not an apostle to others, I certainly am to you; for you are a seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 9:3My defense to those who condemn me is this; 9:4Have we not a right to eat and drink? 9:5Have we not a right to lead about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles; and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 9:6Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to abstain from labor? 9:7Who ever goes on a military expedition at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and eats not the fruit of it? or who feeds a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock? 9:8Do I say these things in the manner of men? or does not the law also say the same? 9:9For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox that threshes. Does God care for oxen? 9:10or does he speak entirely for our sakes? For our sakes, doubtless, it was written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and that he who threshes in hope should partake of it. 9:11If we have sown for you spiritual things, is it too much if we reap your earthly things? 9:12And if others have this right, do we not have it more? But we have not used this right, but endure all things, that we may not impede the gospel of Christ. 9:13Know you not that those who perform sacred rites eat from the temple? Those who wait on the altar partake of the altar? 9:14So also the Lord has appointed to those who preach the gospel to live by the gospel. 9:15But I have used none of these things, and I have not written these things that it should be so done to me; for I prefer to die, rather than that any one should make my boasting vain.
2 9:16For if I preach the gospel I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for woe is me, if I preach not the gospel. 9:17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am intrusted with a stewardship. 9:18What then is my reward? That preaching I may make the gospel without expense, that I may not abuse my right in the gospel. 9:19For being free from all men, I have made myself a servant of all, that I may gain more; 9:20to the Jews I have been as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain those under the law; 9:21to those without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but with law to Christ, that I might gain those without law; 9:22to the weak I have been as weak, that I might gain the weak; I have been all things to all men, that I may save some in all conditions; 9:23and I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may be a partaker of it.
3 9:24Know you not that those who run in the race all indeed run, but one takes the prize. So run that you may obtain. 9:25And every one that contends in the games is temperate in all things, they indeed to obtain a perishable crown, we an imperishable. 9:26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, and so strike, not as one who beats the air; 9:27but I brow-beat my body, and bring it into subjection, lest having preached to others I should myself be a reprobate.
4 10:1For I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 10:2and all were baptized to Moses by the cloud and by the sea, 10:3and all eat the same spiritual food, 10:4and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ; 10:5but with many of them God was not pleased; for they were destroyed in the wilderness. 10:6But these things are examples for us, that we should not desire evil things, as they did. 10:7Neither be idolaters, as some of them were, as it is written; The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 10:8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them did and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. 10:9Neither let us try Christ, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. 10:10Neither do you complain as some of them complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. 10:11All these things happened to them as examples, and are recorded for our admonition on whom the ends of the ages have come; 10:12so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. 10:13For no trial has befallen you but what is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial will order the event, that you may be able to endure.
5 10:14Wherefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. 10:15I speak as to wise men; judge what I say. 10:16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation of the body of Christ? 10:17For we, being many, are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread. 10:18Consider Israel after the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 10:19What then do I say? that an idol sacrifice is any thing, or that an idol is any thing? 10:20But what the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to be partakers with demons. 10:21You cannot drink the Lord's cup and the cup of demons; you cannot partake at the Lord's table and the table of demons. 10:22Do we provoke the Lord to anger? Are we stronger than he?
6 10:23All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful, but all things do not edify. 10:24Let no one seek his own but the good of another. 10:25Whatever is sold in the market eat, asking no questions for conscience' sake; 10:26for the earth is the Lord's and all it contains. 10:27But if an unbeliever invites you and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for conscience' sake. 10:28But if any one says to you, This has been offered to an idol, eat not for his sake that informed you, and for conscience' sake. 10:29I mean not your conscience, but that of the other. For why is my freedom limited by the conscience of another? 10:30If I partake with thanks, why am I blamed for that for which I give thanks? 10:31Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 10:32Be without offense both to Jews and Greeks, and the church of God, 10:33as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own profit but that of many, that they may be saved. 11:1Be followers of me as I also am of Christ.