A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

Preaching the Gospel is not something to boast about; I am under compulsion and have no choice.  I am ruined if I do not preach the Gospel!  If I do it willingly, I have my reward; if unwillingly, I am nonetheless entrusted with a charge.  What then is my reward?  It is simply this:  that when preaching, I offer the Gospel free of charge and do not assert the authority the Gospel gives me.  Although I am not bound to anyone, I put myself into the service of all so as to win over as many as possible.  To the weak I became a weak person, with a view to winning the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might save at least some of them.  In fact, I do all that I do for the sake of the Gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessing.

The Word of God recorded in the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.