Joe: Alright, so what have we got here?

Bible Expert: Well, in 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul is addressing the issue of whether he and other apostles should be supported financially by the church.

Joe: Woah, hold on a sec. Let me get this straight. The church was paying the apostles?

Bible Expert: Yes, it was a common practice in the early church for the apostles to be supported financially by the church. Paul argues that he should be supported in the same way as the other apostles, because he has the same authority and has been called to the same mission. He notes that he has the right to be supported, but he chooses to forego that right in order to avoid any accusations of taking advantage of the church.

Joe: That's crazy. How could he just give up his right to be paid?

Bible Expert: Paul was motivated by a desire to serve the church and spread the gospel without any financial gain. He then goes on to use the analogy of an athlete competing in the games to explain his mindset. He says that an athlete will deny himself all sorts of pleasures in order to win the prize, and Paul says that he has the same attitude when it comes to his work for the church.

Joe: Wow, that's really inspiring.

Bible Expert: Yes, and it's a great example of how we should approach our work for the church. We should be willing to deny ourselves in order to serve the church and spread the gospel.