Letters to the Churches

Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.

To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.

No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea.

They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

They all ate the same spiritual food

and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.”

We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.

And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.

Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.