1 Corinthians 9

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?	1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.	2 Although I may not be an apostle for others, certainly I am for you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me.	3 My defense against those who would pass judgment on me is this.
4 Do we not have the right to our food and drink?	4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?	5 Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Kephas?
6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?	6 Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?	7 Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock?
8 Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same?	8 Am I saying this on human authority, or does not the law also speak of these things?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?	9 It is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is God concerned about oxen,
10 Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop.	10 or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share.
11 If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?	11 If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you?
12 If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.	12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Yet we have not used this right. On the contrary, we endure everything so as not to place an obstacle to the gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?	13 Do you not know that those who perform the temple services eat (what) belongs to the temple, and those who minister at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?
14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.	14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.
15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting.	15 I have not used any of these rights, however, nor do I write this that it be done so in my case. I would rather die. Certainly no one is going to nullify my boast.
16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!	16 If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!
17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.	17 If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel.	18 What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.	19 Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.
20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law.	20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law--though I myself am not under the law--to win over those under the law.
21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law.	21 To those outside the law I became like one outside the law--though I am not outside God's law but within the law of Christ--to win over those outside the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.	22 To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.	23 All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.	24 Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.
25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.	25 Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
26 Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air;	26 Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.
27 but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.	27 No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.