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? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you 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, yet 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?

Have we no right to eat and to 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?

Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, 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 have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?

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?

What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?

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

Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?

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 an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,

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 does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.

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 to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?

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 partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News 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?

Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?

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

Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.

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 don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

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 Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don’t preach the Good News.

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 of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own 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 Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

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 was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the 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, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain 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 (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), 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 as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, 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.

Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint 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.

Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, 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.

Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

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

I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, 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 beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.