1 A m not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye 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 -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye 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 defence to those who examine me in this;

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

4 h ave we not authority to eat and to drink?

Have we not the right to our food and drink ?

5 h ave we not authority a sister -- a wife -- to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren 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 only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?

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

7 w ho doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

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 A ccording to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law 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 in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?

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 because of us by all means doth He say ? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading of his hope to partake in hope.

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 to you the spiritual things did sow -- great if we your fleshly things do reap?

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

12 i f others do partake of the authority over you -- not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the 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 H ave ye not known that those working about the things of the temple -- of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar -- with the altar are partakers?

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 did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

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

15 A nd I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;

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 may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news;

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 willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

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 proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

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 being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

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 a nd I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;

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 without law, as without law -- (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) -- that I might gain those 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 I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may 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 A nd this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

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 h ave ye not known that those running in a race -- all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;

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 a nd every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;

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 I , therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating 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 chastise my body, and bring into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.

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.