Paul's Rights as an Apostle

1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you my work in the Lord?

2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.

3My answer to them that do examine me is this,

4Have we not the right to eat and to drink?

5Have we not the right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we the right to forbear working?

7Who goes to warfare any time at his own expense? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

8Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?

9For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does God care for oxen?

10Or says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your material things?

12If others be partakers of this right over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this right; but endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13Do you not know that they who minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14Even so has the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

15But 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 boasting void.

16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a stewardship of the gospel is committed unto me.

18What 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 right in the gospel.

Paul a Servant to Jew and Gentile

19For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20And 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;

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

22To 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.

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

Run the Christian Race with Self-Control

24Know you not that they who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain.

25And every man that strives for self control is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26I therefore so run, not with uncertainty; so fight I, not as one that beats the air:

27But I roughly treat my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.