n°46 / I. Corinthians 9 :

1Am I not an apostle ? am I not free ? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ? are not ye my work in the Lord ?
2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you : for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4Have we not power to eat and to drink ?
5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas ?
6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working ?
7Who 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 ?
8Say I these things as a man ? or saith not the law the same also ?
9For 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 ?
10Or 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.
11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?
12If 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.
13Do 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 ?
14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
15But 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.
16For 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 !
17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward : but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18What 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.
19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20And 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 ;
21To 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.
22To 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.
23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize ? So run, that ye may obtain.
25And 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.
26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly ; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air :
27But 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.