1 Corinthians 9:19–27

¹⁹For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most possible. ²⁰And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law: ²¹to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ,) in order that I might gain those without law. ²²I became to the weak, as weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some. ²³And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

²⁴Know ye not that they who run in the race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain. ²⁵But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. ²⁶I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. ²⁷But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.