1 As for me, am I not free? I am an apostle and I have seen Jesus, the Lord, and you are my work in the Lord.
2 Although I may not be an apostle for others, at least I am one for you. You are, in the Lord, evidence of my apostleship.
3 Now this is what I answer to those who criticize me:
4 Have we not the right to be fed?
5 Have we not the right to bring along with us a sister as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Am I the only one, with Barnabas, bound to work? What soldier goes to war at his own expense?
7 What farmer does not eat from the vineyard he planted? Who tends a flock and does not drink from its milk?
8 Are these rights only accepted human practice? No. The Law says the same. In the law of Moses it is written: Do not muzzle the ox which threshes grain.
9 Does this mean that God is concerned with oxen,
10 or rather with us? Of course it applies to us. For our sake it was written that no one plows without expecting a reward for plowing, and no one threshes without hoping for a share of the crop.
11 Then, if we have sown spiritual riches among you, would it be too much for us to reap some material reward?
12 If others have had a share among you, we could have it all the more. Yet we made no use of this right and we prefer to endure everything rather than put any obstacle to the Gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those working in the sacred service eat from what is offered for the temple? And those serving at the altar receive their part from the altar.
14 The Lord ordered, likewise, that those announcing the Gospel live from the Gospel.
15 Yet I have not made use of my rights, and now I do not write to claim them: I would rather die! No one will deprive me of this glory of mine.
16 Because I cannot boast of announcing the Gospel: I am bound to do it. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!
17 If I preached voluntarily, I could expect my reward, but I have been trusted this office against my will.
18 How can I, then, deserve a reward? In announcing the Gospel, I will do it freely without making use of the rights given to me by the Gospel.
19 So, feeling free with everybody, I have become everybody's slave in order to gain a greater number.
20 To save the Jews I became a Jew with the Jews, and because they are under the Law, I myself submitted to the Law, although I am free from it.
21 With the pagans, not subject to the Law, I became one of them, although I am not without a law of God, since Christ is my Law. Yet I wanted to gain those strangers to the Law.
22 With people of unformed conscience I acted as if I were sharing their scruples in order to gain those who are still weak.
23 So I made myself all things to all people in order to save, by all possible means, some of them. This I do for the Gospel, so that I too have a share of it.
24 Have you not learned anything from the stadium? Many run, but only one gets the prize. Run, therefore, intending to win it,
25 as athletes who impose upon themselves a rigorous discipline. Yet for them the wreath is of laurels which wither, while for us, it does not wither.
26 So, then, I run knowing where I go. I box but not aimlessly in the air.
27 I punish my body and control it, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be rejected.
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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