at the altar all alike share with the altar?
009:014 In the same way the Lord also directed those who proclaim
the Good News to maintain themselves by the Good News.
009:015 But I, for my part, have not used, and do not use, my full
rights in any of these things. Nor do I now write with that
object so far as I myself am concerned, for I would rather
die than have anybody make this boast of mine an empty one.
009:016 If I go on preaching the Good News, that is nothing for me
to boast of; for the necessity is imposed upon me; and alas
for me, if I fail to preach it!
009:017 And if I preach willingly, I receive my wages; but if against
my will, a stewardship has nevertheless been entrusted to me.
009:018 What are my wages then? The very fact that the Good News
which I preach will cost my hearers nothing, so that I cannot
be charged with abuse of my privileges as a Christian preacher.
009:019 Though free from all human control, I have made myself the slave
of all in the hope of winning as many converts as possible.
009:020 To the Jews I have become like a Jew in order to win Jews;
to men under the Law as if I were under the Law--although I am not--
in order to win those who are under the Law;
009:021 to men without Law as if I were without Law--although I am not
without Law in relation to God but am abiding in Christ's Law--
in order to win those who are without Law.
009:022 To the weak I have become weak, so as to gain the weak.
To all men I have become all things, in the hope that in every
one of these ways I may save some.
009:023 And I do everything for the sake of the Good News, that I
may share with my hearers in its benefits.
009:024 Do you not know that in the foot-race the runners all run,
but that only one gets the prize? You must run like him,