1 ¶ 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?

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

2 I f I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 ¶ My answer to those that examine me is this,

My defense to those who examine me is this:

4 D o we not have authority to eat and to drink?

Do we not have a right to eat and drink?

5 D o 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?

Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

6 D o only Barnabas and I not have authority to forbear working?

Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?

7 W ho 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?

Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?

8 D o I say this only according to men? or does not the law say the same also?

I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?

9 F or 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?

For it is written in the Law of Moses, “ You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He?

10 O r 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.

Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.

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

If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

12 I f 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.

If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

13 D o 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?

Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?

14 E ven so the Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

15 ¶ 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.

But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.

16 F or 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!

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

17 F or if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, the stewardship of the gospel is committed unto me.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

18 W hat 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.

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

19 ¶ Therefore, though I am free regarding everyone, yet I have made myself slave unto all, that I might gain the more.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.

20 A nd 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;

To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;

21 t o 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.

to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.

22 T o 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.

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

23 A nd this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker together of it.

I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

24 ¶ 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.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

25 A nd 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.

Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 I therefore so run, not as unto an uncertain thing; so I fight, not as one that beats the air;

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;

27 b ut I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection, lest preaching to others, I myself should become reprobate.

but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.