1 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 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 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 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 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 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 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same
also?
9 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 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 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing
if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 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 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 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the
gospel should live of the gospel.
15 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 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 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 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 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself
servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 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 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 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 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker
thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one
receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 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 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one
that beateth the air:
27 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.
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