1 A m I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?

Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord?

2 I f to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

if to others I am not an apostle -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 M y defence to them that examine me is this.

My defence to those who examine me in this;

4 H ave we no right to eat and to drink?

have we not authority to eat and to drink?

5 H ave we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

have we not authority a sister -- a wife -- to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 O r I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?

or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?

7 W hat soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

8 D o I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?

According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?

9 F or it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,

for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?

10 o r saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking.

or because of us by all means doth He say ? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading of his hope to partake in hope.

11 I f we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?

If we to you the spiritual things did sow -- great if we your fleshly things do reap?

12 I f others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

if others do partake of the authority over you -- not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.

13 K now ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?

Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple -- of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar -- with the altar are partakers?

14 E ven so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.

so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

15 B ut I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorifying void.

And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;

16 F or if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.

for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

17 F or if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.

for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

18 W hat then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.

What, then, is my reward? -- that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

19 F or though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

20 A nd to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;

21 t o them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.

to those without law, as without law -- (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) -- that I might gain those without law;

22 T o the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.

23 A nd I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

24 K now ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

have ye not known that those running in a race -- all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;

25 A nd every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;

26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;

27 b ut I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

but I chastise my body, and bring into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.