The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

(Deuteronomy 18:1–8)

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

And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

My defence with them that do examine me is this.

Have not we power to eat and to drink?

Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?

Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things?

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?

Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.

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

If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar?

So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.

But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void.

For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me:

What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Paul the Servant to All

For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.

And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:

To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.

And I do all things for the gospel’s sake: that I may be made partaker thereof.

Run Your Race to Win

Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.

And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.

I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:

But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

(Deuteronomy 18:1–8)

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord?

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

My defense to those who examine me is this:

Have we no right to eat and to drink?

Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?

What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?

Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?

For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”(a) Is it for the oxen that God cares,

or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.

If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?

If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.

Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?

Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.

But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about, for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News.

For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

What then is my reward? That when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

Paul the Servant to All

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

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law,(b) that I might gain those who are under the law;

to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.

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

Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.

Run Your Race to Win

Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.

Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,

but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Footnotes

(a)9:9 ℘ Deuteronomy 25:4

(b)9:20 NU adds: though I myself am not under the law