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- 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?
- If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
- Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
- Have we not power to eat and to drink?
- Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
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- Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
- Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
- This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.
- Don't we have the right to food and drink?
- Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?
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- Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
- Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
- Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
- For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
- Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
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- Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
- Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?
- Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing?
- For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
- Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
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- If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
- If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
- Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
- Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
- 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 any man should make my glorying void.
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- If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
- If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
- Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
- In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
- But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.
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- For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
- For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
- What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
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- Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
- If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
- What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
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