Letters to the Churches

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.

For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.

What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.

For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

and did all eat the same spiritual food;

and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.

Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.

Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.

Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.