1Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not some of the result of my work in the Lord? 2Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely, I am to you! For you are the proof of my apostleship in the Lord. 3My defense to those that question my authority is this: 4Have we no right to food and to drink? 5Do we have no right to bring along a believing sister, or wife, or brothers of the Lord, as other apostles, and Cephas (Peter) do? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I that have no right to refrain from working to support ourselves? 7What soldier goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat the grapes from it? Or who tends a flock, and does not take of the milk of the flock? 8Do I say these things as a mere human? Or does the law not say the same thing? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain.” (Deut.25:4)’. Is it only oxen that God is concerned about?

10Or did He say it for our sakes, as well? There is no doubt that for our sakes this was written; because whoever plows or threshes should do so in the hope that they should share in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seeds among you, is it too much if we should reap a material harvest from you? 12If others who minister to you share in this right, should we not more so? But on the contrary, we have not exercised this right; but bear our own burdens, rather than risk hindering the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who minister in the Temple live off the things of the Temple? Those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar. 14In the same way, the Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. 15But I have used none of these rights; nor have I written these things in hope that you will do any such things for me; for I would rather die, than lose my right to boast about my preaching without charge. 16For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to do so; indeed, woe is me, if I do not preach the gospel! 17For if I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not voluntarily, I am simply fulfilling the sacred trust committed to me. 18What would be my reward then? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News of Christ without charging anyone – a privilege; and I do not want to abuse my rights in preaching the gospel.

19For though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many souls for the Lord as possible. 20And so, to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews; to those that are under the law, I became as one under the law, that I might win those that are under the law; 21To those that are not under the law, I became as one not under the law, (though I am not free from God’s law, but am under the law to Christ), that I might win those that are without (not under the) law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all people, that I might, by whatever possible means, save some. 23And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might share with them its blessings.

24Do you not know that in a race, everyone runs; but only one receives the prize? So run in such a way as to attain the prize. 25And everyone who competes goes into strict training. They do it to obtain a crown that will not last; but we do this for a lasting (eternal) crown. 26So, therefore, I run, not as someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer that beats the air; 27No! I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection, so that, after I have preached to others, I, myself will not be disqualified.