1 Corinthians 9 : American Standard Version

1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen
Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? 2If to
others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal
of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3My defence to
them that examine me is this. 4Have we no right to eat
and to drink? 5Have we no right to lead about a wife
that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the
brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6Or I only and
Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? 7What
soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard,
and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth
not of the milk of the flock? 8Do I speak these things
after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
10or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our
sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope,
and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. 11If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we
shall reap your carnal things? 12If others partake of
this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use
this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance
to the gospel of Christ. 13Know ye not that they that
minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and
they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
14Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim
the gospel should live of the gospel. 15But I have used
none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so
done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that
any man should make my glorifying void. 16For if I
preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid
upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel. 17For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of
mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me. 18What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make
the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in
the gospel. 19For though I was free from all men, I
brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain
Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being
myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21to them that are without law, as without law, not
being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain
them that are without law. 22To the weak I became weak,
that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that
I may by all means save some. 23And I do all things for
the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. 24Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth
the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25And every
man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all
things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, as not uncertainly;
so fight I, as not beating the air: 27but I buffet my
body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I
have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.