³ And because he was of the same trade, he was living with them, and they did their work together; for by trade they were tent-makers.

¹² And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;

⁹ For you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.

³⁴ You yourselves have seen that with these hands I got what was necessary for me and those who were with me.

³⁵ In all things I was an example to you of how, in your lives, you are to give help to the feeble, and keep in memory the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, There is a greater blessing in giving than in getting.

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

⁷ 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 Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same?

⁹ 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 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 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 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.

⁷ Or did I do wrong in making myself low so that you might be lifted up, because I gave you the good news of God without reward?

⁹ And when I was present with you, and was in need, I let no man be responsible for me; for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, gave me whatever was needed; and in everything I kept myself from being a trouble to you, and I will go on doing so.

¹³ For what is there in which you were made less than the other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.

⁸ And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you:

⁹ Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, so that you might do the same.