1 A m I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not 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 to 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 M y defense to those who examine me is this:

My defense to those who examine me is this:

4 D o we have no right to eat and drink?

Do we not have a right to eat and drink?

5 D o we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, 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 O r is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

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

7 W ho 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?

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 these things as a mere man? 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, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?

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 who plows should plow in hope, and he who 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 spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

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 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.

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 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?

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 commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

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

15 B ut 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.

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 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!

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 willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

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 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

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 F or though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win 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 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;

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 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;

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 win the weak. I have become all things to all men, 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 N ow this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Striving for a Crown

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

24 D o 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.

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 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.

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

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