哥林多前书第九章第1—15节，保罗了解到哥林多教会有一些人怀疑他传福音的合法性，于是保罗就辩护说假若他不是别人的使徒，但至少是哥林多教会的使徒，因为哥林多的弟兄们是保罗在主里面所作的工，是他在主里作使徒的印证，因为主的福音是保罗传给哥林多的弟兄们的。为了避免基督的福音被阻隔，保罗接着说，他其实也是有权柄靠福音生活的，也是有权柄像其他使徒一样娶信主的姊妹为妻的，也是有权柄不做工的正像当兵的吃皇粮，栽葡萄的吃园里的果子或者牧养牛羊的喝牛羊的奶一样，因为主也是这样命定的，即叫传福音的靠着福音养生。然而，保罗说他却没有用过这权柄，相反，他凡事忍受，边传福音边作工糊口，目的是免得基督的福音被阻隔。
林前9:1 我不是自由的么．我不是使徒么．我不是见过我们的主耶稣么．你们不是我在主里面所作之工么。
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren't you my work in the Lord?
林前9:2 假若在别人我不是使徒、在你们我总是使徒．因为你们在主里正是我作使徒的印证。
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
林前9:3 我对那盘问我的人、就是这样分诉。
My defense to those who examine me is this.
林前9:4 难道我们没有权柄靠福音吃喝么。
Have we no right to eat and to drink?
林前9:5 难道我们没有权柄娶信主的姊妹为妻、带着一同往来、彷佛其余的使徒、和主的弟兄、并矶法一样么。
Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
林前9:6 独有我与巴拿巴没有权柄不作工么。
Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
林前9:7 有谁当兵、自备粮饷呢．有谁栽葡萄园、不吃园里的果子呢．有谁牧养牛羊、不吃牛羊的奶呢。
What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn't eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn't drink from the flock's milk?
林前9:11 我们若把属灵的种子撒在你们中间、就是从你们收割奉养肉身之物、这还算大事么。
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
林前9:12 若别人在你们身上有这权柄、何况我们呢．然而我们没有用过这权柄、倒凡事忍受、免得基督的福音被阻隔。
If others partake of this right over you, don't we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.
林前9:13 你们岂不知为圣事劳碌的、就吃殿中的物么．伺候祭坛的、就分领坛上的物么。
Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?
林前9:14 主也是这样命定、叫传福音的靠着福音养生。
Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
林前9:15 但这权柄我全没有用过．我写这话、并非要你们这样待我．因为我宁可死、也不叫人使我所夸的落了空。
But I have used none of these things, and I don't write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.
