Letters to the Churches

For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me: for a necessity lieth upon me. For woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me.

What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.

And I became to the Jews a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:

To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.

And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be made partaker thereof.

Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize. So run that you may obtain.

And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things. And they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown: but we an incorruptible one.

I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air.

But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

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

And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea:

And did all eat the same spiritual food:

And all drank the same spiritual drink: (And they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.)

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

Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things, as they also coveted.

Neither become ye idolaters, as 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 that committed fornication: and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished by the serpent.

Neither do you murmur, as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Wherefore, he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.

Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.