CHAPTER 9
1 Whether I am not free? Am I not (an) apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord?
2 And though to others I am not (an) apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood in the Lord.
3 My defence to them that ask me, that is. [My defence to them that ask me, is this.]
4 Whether we have not (the) power to eat and drink?
5 Whether we have not (the) power to lead about a woman, a sister, as also other apostles, and (the) brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? (or and Peter?)
6 Or I alone and Barnabas have not (the) power to work these things?
7 Who travaileth any time with his own wages? (or Who laboureth any time at his own expense?) Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of his fruit? Who keepeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [+Who fighteth, or holdeth knighthood, any time with his own soldiers’ pay? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruits? Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?]
8 Whether after man I say these things? whether also the law saith not these things?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not bind [up] the mouth of the ox that thresheth. Whether of oxen is (a) charge to God? (or Whether oxen be of any concern to God?)
10 Whether for us he saith these things? For why those be written for us; for he that eareth, oweth to ear in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope to take (some) fruits. (Whether he saith these things for us? Yea, they be written for us; for he that ploweth, ought to plow in hope, and he that reapeth, in hope to take some fruits.)
11 If we sow spiritual things to you, is it great, if we reap your fleshly things? (If we sow spiritual things for you, is it too much to ask, that we be able to harvest your fleshly things?)
12 If others be partners of your power, why not rather we? But we use not this power, but we suffer all things, that we give no hindering to the evangel of Christ. (If ye give others this right, why not also us? But we do not need this right, rather we endure everything, so that we do not hinder the Gospel, or the Good News, of the Messiah.)
13 Know ye not, that they that work in the temple, eat those things that be of the temple, and they that serve to the altar, be partners of the altar?
14 So the Lord ordained to them that tell the gospel, to live of the gospel. (So the Lord hath ordained for those who tell the Gospel or the Good News, to live from the Gospel or the Good News.)
15 But I used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that they be done so in me (or so that they be done for me); for it is good rather for me to die, than that any man avoid my glory (or make my boasting void).
16 For if I preach the gospel, glory is not to me, (or there is no boasting, or any glory, for me), for need-like I must do it; for woe to me, if I preach not the gospel.
17 But if I do this thing willfully [or willing(ly)], I have meed, (or But if I do this of my own free will, I have a reward); but if against my will, dispensing [or (a) dispensation] is betaken to me.
18 What then is my meed? (or Then what is my reward?) That I preaching the gospel, put the gospel without others’ cost, [or expense, either taking of sustenance therefore], that I use not my power in the gospel, [or that I mis-use not my power in the gospel], (or so that I do not mis-use my power in the Gospel or the Good News).
19 For why when I was free of all men, I made me (a) servant of all men (or I made myself a servant to all men), to win the more men [or (so) that I should win more men].
20 And (so) to (the) Jews I am made as a Jew, to win the Jews; to them that be under the law, as (if) I were under the law, when I was not under the law, to win them that were under the law;
21 to them that were without (the) law, as (if) I were without (the) law, when I was not without [the] law of God, but I was in the law of Christ, to win them that were without [the] law, (or but I was in the law of the Messiah, to win those who were without the Law, or outside the Law).
22 I am made sick to sick men, to win sick men; to all men I am made all things, to make all men safe. (I am made frail or weak to frail or weak men, to win frail or weak men; to all men I am made all things, to save all men.)
23 But I do all things for the gospel, (so) that I be made (a) partner of it.
24 Know ye not, that they that run in a furlong, all run, but one taketh the prize? So run ye, that ye catch (it), (or So run, so that ye win it).
25 Each man that striveth in (a) fight, abstaineth him(self) from all things; and they, that they take a corruptible crown, (or and they, so that they receive or they win a corruptible crown), but we an uncorrupt(ed)(one).
26 Therefore I run so, not as to an uncertain thing; thus I fight, not as beating the air;
27 but I chastise my body, and bring it into servage, [or into servitude], (or into slavery); lest peradventure when I preach to others, I myself be made reprovable.