1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Worldwide English (New Testament)

¹⁶ My telling the good news is not something for me to be proud of. It is something I must do. Yes, it would be very, very wrong for me if I did not tell the good news.

¹⁷ If I do it because I want to do it, I get my pay. But if I do not want to do it, it is still my duty to do it.

¹⁸ So what is my pay? My pay is to tell the good news and not be paid for it! That is why I do not use my right to take pay for telling the good news.

¹⁹ Even though I am no one's slave, yet I have made myself a slave to everyone. I have done this so that I might win more people to Christ.

²⁰ When I was with the Jews, I lived like the Jews, so that I might win the Jews to Christ. I was not under the law. But I lived as if I was under the law of the Jews. I did this so that I might win to Christ those who are under the law.

²¹ When I was with those who do not have the law of the Jews, I lived as if I did not have the law of the Jews. I did this so that I might win them also. Of course, I myself have laws. I follow the laws of Christ.

²² When I was with weak people, I lived like a weak person. I did this so that I might win weak people to Christ. I lived like all kinds of people to save some of them.

²³ I do all this for the good news, so that I also will have some of its blessing.