1 A m I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in Lord?

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

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

If 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.

3 M y defence to those who examine me is this:

My defence to them that examine me is this.

4 H ave we not a right to eat and to drink?

Have we no right to eat and to drink?

5 h ave we not a right to take round a sister wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Have 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?

6 O r I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?

7 W ho ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

What 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?

8 D o I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

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

9 F or in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

For 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,

10 o r does he say altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of.

or 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.

11 I f we have sown to you spiritual things, great if we shall reap your carnal things?

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

12 I f others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

If 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.

13 D o ye not know that they who labour sacred things eat of the temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

Know 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?

14 S o also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.

15 B ut I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

But 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.

16 F or if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

For 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.

17 F or if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

For 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.

18 W hat is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in the glad tidings.

What 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.

19 F or being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most.

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

20 A nd I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:

And 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;

21 t o those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ,) in order that I might gain without law.

to 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.

22 I became to the weak, weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

To 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.

23 A nd I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

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

24 K now ye not that they who run in race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

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

25 B ut every one that contends is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

And 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.

26 I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

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

27 B ut I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

but 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.