---
title: 1 Corinthians 9
slug: kjv-nt/1-corinthians-9
createdAt: 2024-09-11T03:03:32.580Z
---

**1 **Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? **2 **If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

**3 **Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, **4 **Have we not power to eat and to drink? **5 **Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and *as* the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? **6 **Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? **7 **Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

**8 **Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? **9 **For 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? **10 **Or saith he *it* altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, *this* is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. **11 **If we have sown unto you spiritual things, *is it* a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? **12 **If others be partakers of *this* power over you, *are* not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. **13 **Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live *of the things* of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? **14 **Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

**15 **But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for *it were* better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. **16 **For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! **17 **For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation *of the gospel* is committed unto me. **18 **What is my reward then? *Verily* that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

**19 **For though I be free from all *men*, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. **20 **And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; **21 **To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. **22 **To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all *men*, that I might by all means save some. **23 **And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with *you*.

**24 **Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. **25 **And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they *do it* to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. **26 **I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: **27 **But I keep under my body, and bring *it* into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.