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 an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ 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 I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

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

¶ My answer to those that examine me is this,

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

Do we not have authority 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?

Do we not have authority to bring with us a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles and as the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

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

Do only Barnabas and I not have authority 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?

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who feeds a flock and does not eat 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 say this only according to men? or does not the law say the same also?

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 mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does God take care for oxen?

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 does he say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope, and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

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

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap material things from you?

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 are partakers of this authority over you, why not us? Nevertheless we have not used this authority, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder 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?

Do ye not know that those who work with sacred things live of the things of the sanctuary? and those who serve at the altar partake of 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 the Lord has ordained that those who preach 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, neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me; for it were better for me to die than that anyone should make this my glory 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 though I preach the gospel, I have no reason to glory, for it is an obligation laid upon me; for woe is me, if I do not preach 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 thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, the stewardship of the gospel is committed unto 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 reward, then, shall I have? That preaching the gospel, I may make the gospel of the Christ without charge, that I abuse not my authority in the gospel.

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

¶ Therefore, though I am free regarding everyone, yet I have made myself slave unto 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 unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those 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 those that are without law, as without law (being not without law of God, but under the law of Christ), that I might gain those 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 as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to everyone, that I might 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 this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker together of it.

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 those who run in a race indeed all run, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain it.

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 strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible one.

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

I therefore so run, not as unto an uncertain thing; so I fight, not as one that beats 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 keep my body under, and bring it into subjection, lest preaching to others, I myself should become reprobate.