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?

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship 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.

Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:

Have we not power to eat and to drink?

Have we no right to food 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?

Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?

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?

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

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?

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?

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.

Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.

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

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?

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.

If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than 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?

Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from 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.

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast.

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!

Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach 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.

If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

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.

What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

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

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

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;

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.

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.

To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.

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.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

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

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

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.

Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.

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.

No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.