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? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work 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.

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

3 M y defence to those who examine me in this;

¶ My answer to those that examine me is this,

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

Do we not have authority to eat and to 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?

Do 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?

6 o r only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?

Do only Barnabas and I not have authority to forbear working?

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?

Who 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?

8 A ccording to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?

Do I say this only according to men? or does not the law say the same also?

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 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?

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 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.

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

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

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 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.

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 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?

14 s o also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

Even so the Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel should live of 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 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.

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 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!

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

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 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.

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

¶ Therefore, though I am free regarding everyone, yet I have made myself slave unto all, 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;

And 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;

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 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.

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 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.

23 A nd this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

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

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;

¶ 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.

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;

And 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.

26 I , therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;

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

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