1 Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 And if I am not an Apostle to others, yet still I am to you. For you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense with those who question me is this:
4 Do we not have the authority to eat and to drink?
5 Do we not have the authority to travel around with a woman who is a sister, just as do the other Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the authority to act in this way?
7 Who has ever served as a soldier and paid his own stipend? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat from its produce? Who pastures a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock?
8 Am I saying these things according to man? Or does the law not also say these things?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses: “You shall not bind the mouth of an ox, while it is treading out the grain.” Is God here concerned with the oxen?
10 Or is he saying this, indeed, for our sake? These things were written specifically for us, because he who plows, ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes, too, in hope of receiving the produce.
11 If we have sown spiritual things in you, is it important if we harvest from your worldly things?
12 If others are sharers in this authority over you, why are we not more entitled? And yet we have not used this authority. Instead, we bear all things, lest we give any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those who work in the holy place eat the things that are for the holy place, and that those who serve at the altar also share with the altar?
14 So, too, has the Lord ordained that those who announce the Gospel should live by the Gospel.
15 Yet I have used none of these things. And I have not written so that these things may be done for me. For it is better for me to die, rather than to let anyone empty out my glory.
16 For if I preach the Gospel, it is not glory for me. For an obligation has been laid upon me. And woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel.
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if I do this reluctantly, a dispensation is granted to me.
18 And what, then, would be my reward? So, when preaching the Gospel, I should give the Gospel without taking, so that I may not misuse my authority in the Gospel.
19 For when I was a free man to all, I made myself the servant of all, so that I might gain all the more.
20 And so, to the Jews, I became like a Jew, so that I might gain the Jews.
21 To those who are under the law, I became as if I were under the law, (though I was not under the law) so that I might gain those who were under the law. To those who were without the law, I became as if I were without the law, (though I was not without the law of God, being in the law of Christ) so that I might gain those who were without the law.
22 To the weak, I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. To all, I became all, so that I might save all.
23 And I do everything for the sake of the Gospel, so that I may become its partner.
24 Do you not know that, of those who run in a race, all of them, certainly, are runners, but only one achieves the prize. Similarly, you must run, so that you may achieve.
25 And one who competes in a contest abstains from all things. And they do this, of course, so that they may achieve a corruptible crown. But we do this, so that we may achieve what is incorruptible.
26 And so I run, but not with uncertainty. And so I fight, but not by flailing in the air.
27 Instead, I chastise my body, so as to redirect it into servitude. Otherwise, I might preach to others, but become myself an outcast.
Versículos relacionados com 1 Corinthians, 9:
Chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians addresses the question of Paul's apostolic law and how he chooses not to use his rights so as not to be an obstacle to the gospel. He discusses the role of an apostle and what it means to be a servant of Christ.
Matthew 10:10-11: "Do not take gold, no silver, nor cover in their belts; they do not take any travel bag, nor extra tunic, nor sandals, nor staff; for the worker is worthy of his livelihood." In this verse, Jesus is instructing his disciples before sending them on a mission and tells them to take nothing to them. This is related to the theme of Chapter 9, where Paul talks about how he chose not to use his rights as an apostle.
Philippians 4:17: "It is not that I am looking for offers, but I am seeking fruit that increases your credit." In this verse, Paul talks about how he is not looking for financial offerings, but a fruit that increases church credit. This shows how he is not interested in using his position to get personal financial benefits, but to help the church.
2 Corinthians 11:7-9: "Or did I eat any sin by lowering me so that you were high? Nothing I will be heavy. In fact, both in me and in Tito, we have not proceeded in any way sinful about you. " In this verse, Paul is talking about how he didn't charge anything from the Corinthians, unlike other preachers who were charging for his services. This shows how he chose not to use his right as an apostle to be paid for his work.
1 Peter 5:2-3: "Shepherd the flock of God who is under your care, not out of obligation, but because you want to serve God; not out of greed, but goodwill; not as dominators of those who were to them entrusted, but as examples for the flock. " In this verse, Peter is talking about how shepherds should shepherd the flock of God. This is related to the theme of Chapter 9, where Paul is talking about how he chose not to use his apostolic rights to be an example for the church.
Philippians 2:16: "Firmly retaining the word of life, that I may be proud of the day of Christ that I have not ran or struggled in vain." This verse talks about the importance of maintaining God's Word and preaching it faithfully, without discouraging or giving up. This relates to the theme addressed in 1 Corinthians 9 on spiritual race and the need for perseverance and self -control.
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