 9:1  Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus
Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
 9:2  If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to
you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
 9:3  Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
 9:4  Have we not power to eat and to drink?
 9:5  Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well
as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and
Cephas?
 9:6  Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear
working?
 9:7  Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who
planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or
who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
 9:8  Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the
same also?
 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not
muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God
take care for oxen?
 9:10  Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our
sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should
plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be
partaker of his hope.
 9:11  If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a
great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
 9:12  If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are]
not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but
suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
 9:13  Do ye not know that they which minister about holy
things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait
at the altar are partakers with the altar?
 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach
the gospel should live of the gospel.
 9:15  But I have used none of these things: neither have I
written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for
[it were] better for me to die, than that any man should make
my glorying void.
 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory
of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I
preach not the gospel!
 9:17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but
if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed
unto me.
 9:18  What is my reward then? [Verily] that, when I preach the
gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I
abuse not my power in the gospel.
 9:19  For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made
myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain
the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law,
that I might gain them that are under the law;
 9:21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not
without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might
gain them that are without law.
 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the
weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all
means save some.
 9:23  And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be
partaker thereof with [you].
 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but
one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate
in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown;
but we an incorruptible.
 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not
as one that beateth the air:
 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to
others, I myself should be a castaway.
