19. I am free. I belong to no other person, but I make myself a slave to everyone. I do this to help save as many people as I can.
20. To the Jews I became like a Jew so that I could help save Jews. I myself am not ruled by the law, but to those who are ruled by the law I became like someone who is ruled by the law. I did this to help save those who are ruled by the law.
21. To those who are without the law I became like someone who is without the law. I did this to help save those who are without the law. (But really, I am not without God’s law—I am ruled by the law of Christ.)
22. To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible.
23. I do all this to make the Good News known. I do it so that I can share in the blessings of the Good News.
24. You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win!
25. All who compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a prize—one that doesn’t last. But our prize is one that will last forever.
26. So I run like someone who has a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something, not just the air.
27. It is my own body I fight to make it do what I want. I do this so that I won’t miss getting the prize myself after telling others about it.