Chapter 9
1st Corinthians
9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen YASHUWAH the Messiah our Master? are you* not my work in YASHUWAH?
9:2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you*: for you* are the seal of my apostleship in YASHUWAH.
9:3 My answer to those who examine me is this,
9:4 Do we not have power to eat and to drink?
9:5 Do we not have power to lead about a sister, as wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Master, and Cephas?
9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, do we not have power to forbear working?
9:7 Who goes to warfare at any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of its fruit? or who feeds a flock, and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
9:8 Do I say these things as a man? or does the law not say the same also?
9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does Elohim take care for oxen?
9:10 Or does he say this altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written, so that he who plows should plow in hope; and that he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
9:11 If we have sown to you* spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your* carnal things?
9:12 If others are partakers of this power over you*, are we not rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but bear all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of the Messiah.
9:13 Do you* not know that those who minister about holy things live from the things of the temple, and those who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
9:14 Even so YASHUWAH has ordained that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.
9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, so that it should be so done to me: for it would be 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 boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and woe is to me, if I do not preach 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 to me.
9:18 What is my reward then? Truly that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of the Messiah without charge, so that I may not abuse my power in the gospel.
9:19 For though I am free from all men, yet I have made myself servant to all, so that I might gain the more.
9:20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain the Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, so that I might gain those who are under the law;
9:21 To those who are without law, as without law (not being without law to Elohim, but under the law to the Messiah), so that I might gain those who are without law.
9:22 To the weak I became as weak, so that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all men, so that I might by all means save some.
9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, so that I may be partaker of it with you*.
9:24 Do you* not know, that those who run in a race, all run, but one receives the prize? So run, so that you* may obtain.
9:25 And every man who strives 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 I fight, not as one who beats the air:
9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.