1 Corinthians 9–10

Paul’s Example as an Apostle

9Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ²If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal ^zof my apostleship in the Lord. ³My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? ^a5Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife ^blike the other apostles, ^cthe Lord’s brothers, and Cephas? ^d6Or do Barnabas ^eand I alone have no right to refrain from working? ⁷Who ever goes to war at his own expense? ^fWho plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? ⁸Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox ^gwhile it treads out grain. ^hiIs God really concerned with oxen? ¹⁰Or isn’t He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, ^jbecause he who plows ought to plow in hope, ^kand he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop. ^l11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹²If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?

However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything ^mso that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar ⁿshare in the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel. ^o

¹⁵But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! ¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted ^pwith a stewardship. ¹⁸What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel. ^q

¹⁹Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win ^rmore people. ²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law ^s—to win those under the law. ^t21To those who are without that law, ^ulike one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. ^v23Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits. ^w

²⁴Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, ^xbut only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. ^y25Now everyone who competes exercises self-control ^zin everything. However, they do it to receive a crown ^athat will fade away, ^bbut we a crown that will never fade away. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. ^c

Warnings from Israel’s Past

10Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers ^dwere all under the cloud, ^eall passed through the sea, ^f2and all were baptized ^ginto Moses ^hin the cloud and in the sea. ³They all ate the same spiritual food, ⁱ⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock ^jthat followed them, and that rock was Christ. ^k5But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. ^l

⁶Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire ^mevil things as they did. ^no7Don’t become idolaters ^pas some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. ^qrs8Let us not commit sexual immorality ^tas some of them did, ^uand in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. ^v9Let us not test Christ as some of them did ^wand were destroyed by snakes. ^x10Nor should we complain ^yas some of them did, ^zaand were killed by the destroyer. ^bc11Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, ^don whom the ends of the ages ^ehave come. ^f12So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. ^g13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, ^hand He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape ⁱso that you are able to bear it.

Warning against Idolatry

¹⁴Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶The cup ^jof blessing ^kthat we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread ^lthat we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Because there is one bread, we who are many are one ^mbody, for all of us share that one bread. ¹⁸Look at the people of Israel. ⁿDo not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? ^o19What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰No, but I do say that what they ^psacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. ²²Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? ^q

Christian Liberty

²³“Everything is permissible,” ^rsbut not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” ^tbut not everything builds up. ²⁴No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. ^u

²⁵Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, ²⁶for the earth is the Lord’s, ^vand all that is in it. ^wx27If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, ^yout of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. ^z29I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged ^aby another person’s conscience? ³⁰If I partake with thanks, ^bwhy am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

³¹Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. ^c32Give no offense ^dto the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, ³³just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, ^eso that they may be saved.