 | 9:1 | Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Yahshua Messiah our Master? are not ye my work in Yahweh? |
| 9:2 | If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Master. |
| 9:3 | Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, |
| 9:4 | Have we not power to eat and to drink? |
| 9:5 | Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Master, and Cephas? |
| 9:6 | Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? |
| 9:7 | 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? |
| 9:8 | Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? |
| 9:9 | For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth Elohim take care for oxen? |
| 9:10 | 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. |
| 9:11 | If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? |
| 9:12 | 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 good news of Messiah. |
| 9:13 | 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? |
| 9:14 | Even so hath the Master ordained that they which preach the good news should live of the good news. |
| 9:15 | 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. |
| 9:16 | For though I preach the good news I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the good news! |
| 9:17 | For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the good news is committed unto me. |
| 9:18 | What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the good news, I may make the good news of Messiah without charge, that I abuse not my power in the good news. |
| 9:19 | For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. |
| 9:20 | 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; |
| 9:21 | To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to Elohim, but under the law to Messiah,) that I might gain them that are without law. |
| 9:22 | 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. |
| 9:23 | And this I do for the good news' sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. |
| 9:24 | Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. |
| 9:25 | 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. |
| 9:26 | I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: |
| 9:27 | 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. |
