| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? | 1I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you? |
| 2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. | 2If I am not an apostle to other people, surely I am one to you, for you are the evidence of my apostolic authority from the Lord. |
| 3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, | 3This is my defense to those who would examine me: |
| 4Have we not power to eat and to drink? | 4We have the right to earn our food, don't we? |
| 5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? | 5We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we? |
| 6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? | 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living? |
| 7Who 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? | 7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk? |
| 8Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? | 8I am not saying this on human authority, am I? The Law says the same thing, doesn't it? |
| 9For 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? | 9For in the Law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." God is not only concerned about oxen, is he? |
| 10Or 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. | 10Isn't he really speaking for our benefit? Yes, this was written for our benefit, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. |
| 11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? | 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? |
| 12If 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. | 12If others enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we tolerate everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of the Messiah. |
| 13Do 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? | 13You know that those who work in the Temple get their food from the Temple and that those who serve at the altar get their share of its offerings, don't you? |
| 14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. | 14In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who proclaim the gospel should make their living from 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 glorying void. | 15But I have not used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason for boasting. |
| 16For 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! | 16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't preach the gospel! |
| 17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. | 17For if I preach voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with that obligation. |
| 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 power in the gospel. | 18What, then, is my reward? It is to be able to preach the gospel free of charge, and so I never resort to demanding my rights when I'm preaching the gospel. |
| 19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. | 19Although I am free from everyone's expectations, I have made myself a servant to all of them to win more people. |
| 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; | 20To the Jews I became like a Jew in order to win Jews. To those under the Law I became like a man under the Law, in order to win those under the Law (although I myself am not under the Law). |
| 21To 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. | 21To those who do not have the Law, I became like a man who does not have the Law in order to win those who do not have the Law. However, I am not free from God's Law, but I'm subject to the Messiah's 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. | 22To the weak I became weak in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some of them. |
| 23And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. | 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel in order to have a share in its blessings. |
| 24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. | 24You know that in a race all the runners run but only one wins the prize, don't you? You must run in such a way that you may be victorious. |
| 25And 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. | 25Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades. |
| 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: | 26That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing. |
| 27But 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. | 27No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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