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 you not 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 to 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 defense to those who examine me is this:

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

Do we have no right to eat and 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 have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from 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 ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink 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 these things as a mere man? 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, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?

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 who plows should plow in hope, and he who 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 spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material 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 are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we 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 you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings 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 commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from 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, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting 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 boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, 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 willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

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 is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. Serving All Men

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

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win 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 win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who 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 who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ ), that I might win those who 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 win the weak. I have become all things to all men, 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.

Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Striving for a Crown

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.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you 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 everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

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

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who 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 discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.