1 Corinthians 9

1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord?Cross-references: Acts 9:3 · Acts 9:5 · Acts 9:15 · Acts 9:17 · Acts 13:2 · Acts 14:4 · +27 more

2If 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.Cross-references: John 6:27 · 2Cor 3:1 · 2Cor 12:12

3My defense to those who examine me is this:Cross-references: Acts 22:1 · Acts 25:16 · 1Cor 14:37 · 2Cor 10:7 · 2Cor 12:16 · 2Cor 13:3 · +5 more

4Have we no right to eat and to drink?Cross-references: Matt 10:10 · Luke 10:7 · 1Cor 9:7 · Gal 6:6 · 1Thess 2:6 · 1Thess 2:9 · +2 more

5Have 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?Cross-references: Song 4:9 · Song 4:12 · Song 5:1 · Matt 8:14 · Matt 12:46 · Matt 13:55 · +17 more

6Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?Cross-references: Acts 4:36 · Acts 11:22 · Acts 13:1 · Acts 13:50 · Acts 14:12 · Acts 15:36 · +5 more

7What 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?Cross-references: Deut 20:6 · Prov 27:18 · Prov 27:27 · Song 8:12 · Isa 7:22 · Jer 23:2 · +9 more

8Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?Cross-references: Isa 8:20 · Rom 3:31 · Rom 6:19 · 1Cor 7:40 · 1Cor 14:34 · 1Thess 2:13 · +1 more

9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,Cross-references: Num 22:28 · Deut 5:14 · Deut 22:1 · Deut 25:4 · Ps 104:27 · Ps 145:15 · +5 more

10or 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.Cross-references: Matt 24:22 · Luke 17:7 · John 4:35 · Rom 4:23 · Rom 15:4 · 1Cor 3:9 · +2 more

11If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?Cross-references: 2Ki 5:13 · Mal 3:8 · Matt 10:10 · Rom 15:27 · 2Cor 11:15 · Gal 6:6

12If 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.Cross-references: Gen 24:56 · Neh 4:8 · Luke 11:52 · Acts 18:3 · Acts 20:31 · Rom 15:22 · +13 more

13Don’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?Cross-references: Lev 6:16 · Lev 6:26 · Lev 7:6 · Num 5:9 · Num 18:8 · Deut 10:9 · +3 more

14Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.Cross-references: Matt 10:10 · Luke 10:7 · 1Cor 9:4 · Gal 6:6 · 1Tim 5:17

15But 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.Cross-references: Matt 18:6 · Acts 8:3 · Acts 18:3 · Acts 20:24 · Acts 20:34 · 1Cor 4:12 · +6 more

16For 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.Cross-references: Isa 6:5 · Jer 1:17 · Jer 20:7 · Jer 20:9 · Amos 3:8 · Amos 7:15 · +9 more

17For 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.Cross-references: Ex 4:13 · 1Chr 28:9 · 1Chr 29:5 · 1Chr 29:9 · 1Chr 29:14 · Neh 11:2 · +22 more

18What 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.Cross-references: Rom 14:15 · 1Cor 7:31 · 1Cor 8:9 · 1Cor 9:6 · 1Cor 10:33 · 2Cor 4:5 · +4 more

19For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.Cross-references: Prov 11:30 · Matt 18:15 · Matt 20:26 · John 13:14 · Rom 1:14 · Rom 11:14 · +12 more

20To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;Cross-references: Acts 16:3 · Acts 17:2 · Acts 18:18 · Acts 21:20 · Rom 3:19 · Rom 6:14 · +4 more

21to 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.Cross-references: Ps 119:32 · Matt 5:17 · Acts 15:28 · Acts 16:4 · Acts 21:25 · Rom 2:12 · +15 more

22To 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.Cross-references: Rom 11:14 · Rom 15:1 · 1Cor 7:16 · 1Cor 8:13 · 1Cor 9:19 · 1Cor 10:33 · +2 more

23Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.Cross-references: Mark 8:35 · 1Cor 9:12 · 1Cor 9:25 · 2Cor 2:4 · Gal 2:5 · 2Tim 2:6 · +5 more

24Don’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.Cross-references: Ps 19:5 · Eccl 9:11 · Jer 12:5 · Hos 12:10 · 1Cor 9:26 · Gal 2:2 · +8 more

25Every 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.Cross-references: 1Cor 15:54 · Gal 5:23 · Eph 6:12 · 1Tim 6:12 · 2Tim 2:5 · 2Tim 4:7 · +12 more

26I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,Cross-references: Matt 11:12 · Luke 13:24 · 1Cor 14:9 · 2Cor 5:1 · 2Cor 5:8 · Eph 6:12 · +7 more

27but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.Cross-references: Ps 50:16 · Jer 6:30 · Matt 7:21 · Luke 9:25 · Luke 12:45 · Luke 13:26 · +15 more