Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
My defence to them that examine me is this.
Have we no right to eat and to drink?
Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a {Greek: sister.}believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?
What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?
For it is written in the law of Moses, {Deuteronomy 25:4.}Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
or saith he it {Or, altogether}assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking.
If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel of Christ.
Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel should live of the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
For if I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach not the gospel.
For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
What then is my reward? That, when I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I may make the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
And I do all things for the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
Know ye not that they that run in a {Greek: race course.}race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so {Greek: box.}fight I, as not beating the air:
but I {Greek: bruise. Luke 18:5.}buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I {Or, have been a herald}have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
Querverweise zu 1. Korinther 9,7 1Kor 9,7
(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),
I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah.
And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household,And maintenance for thy maidens.
casting down {Or, reasonings Romans 2:15.}imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof.
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
and it shall come to pass, that because of the abundance of milk which they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land.
This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare;
Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof;And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.
So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of {Greek: Joanes. See chapter 1:42 margin}John, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou {Or, perceivest}knowest that I {Love in these places represents two different Greek words.}love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
My vineyard, which is mine, is before me:Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand,And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you {Or, overseers}bishops, to feed the church of {Some ancient authorities, including the two oldest manuscripts read God.}the Lord which he {Greek: acquired.}purchased with his own blood.
{Or, Take thy part in suffering hardship, as &c.}Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Tend the flock of God which is among you, {Some ancient authorities omit exercising the oversight.}exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, {Some ancient authorities omit according to the will of God.}according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: