1 Corinthians Chapter 9
So, am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not peeped Jesus, our Lord? For real, you guys are my whole vibe in the Lord.
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I’m not an apostle to anyone else, no cap, I definitely am to you: you’re my seal of rizz in the Lord.
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Here’s my response to those who are keeping tabs on me:
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Do we not have the authority to eat and drink?
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
Do we not have the authority to bring along a sister or a wife, just like the other apostles and the fam of the Lord, including Cephas?
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and {as} the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? {wife: or, woman}
Or is it just me and Barnabas who kick back and don’t grind?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Who goes to battle and pays for their own stuff? Who plants a vineyard and doesn’t eat the grapes? Or who tends to sheep and doesn’t sip the milk?
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?
Am I saying this like a regular guy? Or does the law back this up?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
It’s in Moses’ law, ‘Don’t muzzle the ox when it’s grinding.’ Does God even care about oxen?
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Or is He saying this for us? Bet, it’s definitely meant for our benefit: the one who plows should do it with hope, and the one who reaps should share in that hope.
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.
If we drop spiritual knowledge on you, is it sus if we want some of your earthly vibes in return?
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, {is it} a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
If others flex this authority over you, aren’t we more legit? But we’re not trippin; we keep it chill so we don’t mess with the gospel of Christ.
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 gospel of Christ.
You guys know that those who deal with holy things live off the temple goods? And those hanging by the altar are part of that vibe?
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? {live: or, feed}
For real, God said that those who preach the gospel should be living off that gospel grind.
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
But I’m not tapping into any of that; I didn’t write this to get anything back, 'cause I’d rather bounce than let anyone mess with my hype.
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.
Even though I preach the gospel, I got no rizz to flex; it’s a must for me to do this, and fr, it’s a whole mood if I don’t!
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
If I do this willingly, I earn a reward; but if I’m not feeling it, I still gotta handle this gospel biz.
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation {of the gospel} is committed unto me.
So what’s my reward? For real, when I preach the gospel, I wanna do it for free, so I don’t misuse my gospel clout.
What is my reward then? {Verily} that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Even though I’m free from everyone, I’ve made myself a servant to all, just to level up my game.
For though I be free from all {men}, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
To the Jews, I became like a Jew, so I could vibe with them; to those under the law, I rolled with the law, just to connect with them.
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;
To those who vibe without rules, I roll with it, not 'cause I'm lawless, but 'cause I'm all about that Christ law to save them.
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
I get weak with the weak, trying to help them out; I'm all things to all peeps, just tryna save some, no cap.
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.
I'm doing this for the gospel's vibe, so we can all share in the good stuff together.
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with {you}.
Y'all know that in a race, everyone runs, but only one snags the prize? So run hard to win it.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Every dude chasing the win is serious about it. They’re going for a fading crown; we’re after the eternal one.
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.
So I run with intention, not just running in circles; I fight, not like I'm just throwing punches at nothing.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
I keep my body in check, making sure I don’t end up disqualified after preaching to others.
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.