Chapter IV

THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ENTITLED TO A SUPPORT, PAUL'S LABORS WITHOUT CHARGE.

1 [9:1]AM I not a freeman? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? [9:2]If I am not an apostle to others, I certainly am to you; for you are a seal of my apostleship in the Lord. [9:3]My defense to those who condemn me is this; [9:4]Have we not a right to eat and drink? [9:5]Have we not a right to lead about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles; and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? [9:6]Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to abstain from labor? [9:7]Who ever goes on a military expedition at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and eats not the fruit of it? or who feeds a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock? [9:8] Do I say these things in the manner of men? or does not the law also say the same? [9:9]For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox that threshes. Does God care for oxen? [9:10]or does he speak entirely for our sakes? For our sakes, doubtless, it was written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and that he who threshes in hope should partake of it. [9:11]If we have sown for you spiritual things, is it too much if we reap your earthly things? [9:12]And if others have this right, do we not have it more? But we have not used this right, but endure all things, that we may not impede the gospel of Christ. [9:13]Know you not that those who perform sacred rites eat from the temple? Those who wait on the altar partake of the altar? [9:14]So also the Lord has appointed to those who preach the gospel to live by the gospel. [9:15]But I have used none of these things, and I have not written these things that it should be so done to me; for I prefer to die, rather than that any one should make my boasting vain.

2 [9:16]For if I preach the gospel I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for woe is me, if I preach not the gospel. [9:17]For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am intrusted with a stewardship. [9:18]What then is my reward? That preaching I may make the gospel without expense, that I may not abuse my right in the gospel. [9:19]For being free from all men, I have made myself a servant of all, that I may gain more; [9:20]to the Jews I have been as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain those under the law; [9:21]to those without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but with law to Christ, that I might gain those without law; [9:22]to the weak I have been as weak, that I might gain the weak; I have been all things to all men, that I may save some in all conditions; [9:23]and I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may be a partaker of it.

3 [9:24]Know you not that those who run in the race all indeed run, but one takes the prize. So run that you may obtain. [9:25]And every one that contends in the games is temperate in all things, they indeed to obtain a perishable crown, we an imperishable. [9:26]I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, and so strike, not as one who beats the air; [9:27]but I brow-beat my body, and bring it into subjection, lest having preached to others I should myself be a reprobate.

4 [10:1]For I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [10:2]and all were baptized to Moses by the cloud and by the sea, [10:3]and all eat the same spiritual food, [10:4]and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ; [10:5]but with many of them God was not pleased; for they were destroyed in the wilderness. [10:6]But these things are examples for us, that we should not desire evil things, as they did. [10:7]Neither be idolaters, as some of them were, as it is written; The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [10:8]Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them did and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. [10:9]Neither let us try Christ, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. [10:10]Neither do you complain as some of them complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. [10:11]All these things happened to them as examples, and are recorded for our admonition on whom the ends of the ages have come; [10:12]so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. [10:13]For no trial has befallen you but what is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial will order the event, that you may be able to endure.

5 [10:14]Wherefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. [10:15]I speak as to wise men; judge what I say. [10:16]The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation of the body of Christ? [10:17]For we, being many, are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread. [10:18]Consider Israel after the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar? [10:19]What then do I say? that an idol sacrifice is any thing, or that an idol is any thing? [10:20]But what the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to be partakers with demons. [10:21]You cannot drink the Lord's cup and the cup of demons; you cannot partake at the Lord's table and the table of demons. [10:22]Do we provoke the Lord to anger? Are we stronger than he?

6 [10:23]All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful, but all things do not edify. [10:24]Let no one seek his own but the good of another. [10:25]Whatever is sold in the market eat, asking no questions for conscience' sake; [10:26]for the earth is the Lord's and all it contains. [10:27]But if an unbeliever invites you and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for conscience' sake. [10:28]But if any one says to you, This has been offered to an idol, eat not for his sake that informed you, and for conscience' sake. [10:29]I mean not your conscience, but that of the other. For why is my freedom limited by the conscience of another? [10:30]If I partake with thanks, why am I blamed for that for which I give thanks? [10:31]Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [10:32]Be without offense both to Jews and Greeks, and the church of God, [10:33]as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own profit but that of many, that they may be saved. [11:1]Be followers of me as I also am of Christ.