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

Am I not an apostle (a special messenger)? Am I not free (unrestrained and exempt from any obligation)? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my workmanship in the Lord?

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

Even if I am not considered an apostle (a special messenger) by others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal (the certificate, the living evidence) of my apostleship in the Lord.

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

This is my defense (my vindication of myself) to those who would put me on trial and cross-examine me.

4 D o we not have a right to eat and drink?

Have we not the right to our food and drink ?

5 D o 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?

Have we not the right also to take along with us a Christian sister as wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas (Peter)?

6 O r do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from doing manual labor for a livelihood ?

7 W ho 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?

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

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

Do I say this only on human authority and as a man reasons? Does not the Law endorse the same principle?

9 F or 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?

For in the Law of Moses it is written, You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the corn. Is it for oxen that God cares?

10 O r 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.

Or does He speak certainly and entirely for our sakes? it is written for our sakes, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher ought to thresh in expectation of partaking of the harvest.

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

If we have sown spiritual good among you, much if we reap from your material benefits?

12 I f 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.

If others share in this rightful claim upon you, do not we ? However, we have never exercised this right, but we endure everything rather than put a hindrance in the way of the good news (the Gospel) of Christ.

13 D o 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?

Do you not know that those men who are employed in the services of the temple get their food from the temple? And that those who tend the altar share with the altar ?

14 S o also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

the Lord directed that those who publish the good news (the Gospel) should live (get their maintenance) by the Gospel.

15 B ut 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.

But I have not made use of any of these privileges, nor am I writing this that any such provision be made for me. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone make void and deprive me of my glorifying.

16 F or 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.

For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no reason to boast, for I feel compelled of necessity to do it. Woe is me if I do not preach the glad tidings (the Gospel)!

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

For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have my pay (my reward); but if it is not of my own will, but is done reluctantly and under compulsion, I am entrusted with a trusteeship and commission.

18 W hat 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.

What then is the reward that I get? Just this: that in my preaching the good news (the Gospel), I may offer it free of expense, not taking advantage of my rights and privileges of the Gospel.

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

For although I am free in every way from anyone’s control, I have made myself a bond servant to everyone, so that I might gain the more.

20 T o 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;

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to men under the Law, as one under the Law, though not myself being under the Law, that I might win those under the Law.

21 t o 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.

To those without (outside) law I became as one without law, not that I am without the law of God and lawless toward Him, but that I am within and committed to the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.

22 T o 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.

To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and overscrupulous. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some.

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

And I do this for the sake of the good news (the Gospel), in order that I may become a participator in it and share in its.

24 D o 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.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but one receives the prize? So run that you may lay hold and make it yours.

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

Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we that cannot wither.

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

Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary.

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

But I buffet my body and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit.