1 Corinthians 9:19-27

New King James Version

Serving All Men

¹⁹ For though I am ^(A)free from all men, ^(B)I have made myself a servant to all, ^(C)that I might win the more; ²⁰ and ^(D)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the ^[a]law, that I might win those who are under the law; ^21 (E)to ^(F)those who are without law, as without law ^(G)(not being without ^[b]law toward God, but under ^[c]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; ^22 (H)to the weak I became ^[d]as weak, that I might win the weak. ^(I)I have become all things to all men, ^(J)that I might by all means save some. ²³ Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Striving for a Crown

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? ^(K)Run in such a way that you may ^[e]obtain it. ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize ^[f]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for ^(L)an imperishable crown. ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: ^(M)not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ^27 (N)But I discipline my body and ^(O)bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become ^(P)disqualified.