| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? | 1Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? |
| 2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, because you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. | 2Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle. |
| 3My defense to those who examine me is this: | 3This is my answer to those who question my authority. |
| 4Don't we have the right to eat and drink? | 4Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? |
| 5Don't we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas? | 5Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does? |
| 6Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working? | 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? |
| 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? | 7What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? |
| 8Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn't the law also say the same thing? | 8Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? |
| 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned about oxen? | 9For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? |
| 10Isn't he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop. | 10Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. |
| 11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? | 11Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? |
| 12If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don't we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. | 12If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ. |
| 13Don't you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar? | 13Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. |
| 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel. | 14In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. |
| 15For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! | 15Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. |
| 16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach--and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! | 16Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! |
| 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a commission. | 17If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. |
| 18What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel. | 18What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News. |
| 19Although I am free from all and not anyone's slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. | 19Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. |
| 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law--though I myself am not under the law--to win those under the law. | 20When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. |
| 21To those who are without the law, like one without the law--though I am not without God's law but under the law of Christ--to win those without the law. | 21When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. |
| 22To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. | 22When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. |
| 23Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings. | 23I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. |
| 24Don't you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. | 24Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! |
| 25Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. | 25All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. |
| 26So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. | 26So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. |
| 27Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. | 27I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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