^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} If to others I am not an Apostle, at least I am one to you: for the fact that you are Christians is the sign that I am an Apostle.

^{3 Ref} My answer to those who are judging me is this.

^{4 Ref} Have we no right to take food and drink?

^{5 Ref} Have we no right to take about with us a Christian wife, like the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

^{6 Ref} Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to take a rest from work?

^{7 Ref} Who ever goes to war without looking to someone to be responsible for his payment? who puts in vines and does not take the fruit of them? or who takes care of sheep without drinking of their milk?

^{8 Ref} Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same?

^{9 Ref} For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders?

^{10 Ref} Or has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it.

^{11 Ref} If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?

^{12 Ref} If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of Christ.

^{13 Ref} Do you not see that the servants of the holy things get their living from the Temple, and the servants of the altar have their part in the food which is offered on the altar?

^{14 Ref} Even so did the Lord give orders that the preachers of the good news might get their living from the good news.

^{15 Ref} But I have not made use of any of these things: and I am not writing this in the hope that it may be so for me: for it would be better for me to undergo death, than for any man to make this pride of mine of no effect.

^{16 Ref} For if I am a preacher of the good news, I have no cause for pride in this; because I am forced to do so, for a curse is on me if I do not.

^{17 Ref} But if I do it gladly, I have a reward; and if not, I am under orders to do it.

^{18 Ref} What then is my reward? This, that when I am giving the good news, I may give it without payment, not making use of my rights as a preacher of the good news.

^{19 Ref} For though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation.

^{20 Ref} And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law.

^{21 Ref} To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the law.

^{22 Ref} To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation.

^{23 Ref} And I do all things for the cause of the good news, so that I may have a part in it.

^{24 Ref} Do you not see that in a running competition all take part, but only one gets the reward? So let your minds be fixed on the reward.

^{25 Ref} And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

^{26 Ref} So then I am running, not uncertainly; so I am fighting, not as one who gives blows in the air:

^{27 Ref} But I give blows to my body, and keep it under control, for fear that, after having given the good news to others, I myself might not have God's approval.

^{1 Ref} Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord?

^{2 Ref} if to others I am not an apostle -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

^{3 Ref} My defence to those who examine me in this;

^{4 Ref} have we not authority to eat and to drink?

^{5 Ref} have we not authority a sister -- a wife -- to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

^{6 Ref} or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?

^{7 Ref} who 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?

^{8 Ref} According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?

^{9 Ref} for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?

^{10 Ref} or because of us by all means doth He say `it'? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading `ought' of his hope to partake in hope.

^{11 Ref} If we to you the spiritual things did sow -- great `is it' if we your fleshly things do reap?

^{12 Ref} if 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.

^{13 Ref} Have 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?

^{14 Ref} so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

^{15 Ref} And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for `it is' good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;

^{16 Ref} for 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;

^{17 Ref} for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!

^{18 Ref} What, 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;

^{19 Ref} for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;

^{20 Ref} and 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;

^{21 Ref} to those without law, as without law -- (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) -- that I might gain those without law;

^{22 Ref} 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.

^{23 Ref} And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

^{24 Ref} have 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;

^{25 Ref} and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;

^{26 Ref} I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;

^{27 Ref} but I chastise my body, and bring `it' into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.

^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} 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.

^{3 Ref} Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

^{4 Ref} Have we not power to eat and to drink?

^{5 Ref} 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?

^{6 Ref} Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

^{7 Ref} 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?

^{8 Ref} Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

^{9 Ref} 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?

^{10 Ref} 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.

^{11 Ref} If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

^{12 Ref} 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.

^{13 Ref} 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?

^{14 Ref} Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

^{15 Ref} 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.

^{16 Ref} 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!

^{17 Ref} 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.

^{18 Ref} 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.

^{19 Ref} For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

^{20 Ref} And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

^{21 Ref} To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

^{22 Ref} To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

^{23 Ref} And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

^{24 Ref} Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

^{25 Ref} And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

^{26 Ref} I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

^{27 Ref} But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.