⁷Who serveth as a soldier, at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

⁸Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say; these things?

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 doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.

¹¹If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?

¹²If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

¹³Know you not that they who work in the holy place eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar partake with the altar?

¹⁴So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.

¹⁵But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die rather than that any man should make my glory void.

¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me: for a necessity lieth upon me. For 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 is committed to me.

¹⁸What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

¹⁹For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.

²⁰And I became to the Jews a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:

²¹To them that are under the law, as if were under the law, (whereas myself w not under the law,) that I might gain there that were under the law. To them ik were without the law, as if I were with* the law (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ) that I might gain them that were without the law.

²²To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.

²³And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be made partaker thereof.

²⁴Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize. So run that you may obtain.

²⁵And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things. And they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown: but we an incorruptible one.

²⁶I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air.

²⁷But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

Chapter 10

For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud: and all passed through the sea.

²And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea:

³And did all eat the same spiritual food:

⁴And all drank the same spiritual drink: (And they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.)

⁵But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert.

⁶Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things, as they also coveted.

⁷Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

⁸Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them that committed fornication: and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

⁹Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished by the serpent.

¹⁰Neither do you murmur, as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer.

¹¹Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

¹²Wherefore, he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.

¹³Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.

¹⁵I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.

¹⁶The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?

¹⁷For we, being many, are one bread, one body: all that partake of one bread.

¹⁸Behold Israel according to the flesh. Are not they that eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

¹⁹What then? Do I say that what is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? Or that the idol is any thing?

²⁰But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.

²¹You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of devils.

²²Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me: but all things are not expedient.

²³All things are lawful for me: but all things do not edify.

²⁴Let no man seek his own, but that which is another’s.

²⁵Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat: asking no question for conscience’ sake.

²⁶The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof.

²⁷If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you be willing to go: eat of any thing that is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.

²⁸But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols: do not eat of it, for his sake that told it and for conscience’ sake.

²⁹Conscience I say, not thy own, but the other’s. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?

³⁰If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

³¹Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.

³²Be without offence to the Jew, and to the Gentiles and to the church of God:

³³As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself but to many: that they may be saved.

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