1 Corinthians 9:19–27

¹⁹For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might gain all the more.^{* 20}To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to gain Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not outside God’s law but am within Christ’s law) so that I might gain those outside the law.^{* 22}To the weak I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I might become a partner in it.

²⁴Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.^{* 25}Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.^{* 26}So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air, ²⁷but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.^*