1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Have we no right to eat and to drink? 5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? 7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?

8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares, 10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope. 11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things? 12 If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more?

Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. 13 Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? 14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.

15 But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. 16 For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about, for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News. 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? That when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23 Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. 24 Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win. 25 Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air, 27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

1 Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not *ye* my work in {the} Lord?2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are *ye* in {the} Lord.3 My defence to those who examine me is this:4 Have we not a right to eat and to drink?5 have we not a right to take round a sister {as} wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?6 Or *I* alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?7 Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?8 Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?9 For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,10 or does he say {it} altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of {it}.11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, {is it a} great {thing} if *we* shall reap your carnal things?12 If others partake of this right over you, should not rather *we*? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.13 Do ye not know that they who labour {at} sacred things eat of the {offerings offered in the} temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?14 So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.15 But *I* have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for {it were} good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.16 For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.18 What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless {to others}, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in {announcing} the glad tidings.19 For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most {possible}.20 And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:21 to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ,) in order that I might gain {those} without law.22 I became to the weak, {as} weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.23 And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.24 Know ye not that they who run in {the} race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.25 But every one that contends {for a prize} is temperate in all things: *they* then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but *we* an incorruptible.26 *I* therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.27 But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest {after} having preached to others I should be myself rejected.