1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Iesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord. 2If I be not an apostle unto other, yet am I unto you. For the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3Mine answer to them that ask me, is this: 4Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5Either have we not power to lead about a sister to wife as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6Either only I and Barnabas have not power this to do? 7Who goeth a warfare any time at his own cost? who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit? or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk?

8Say I these things after the manner of men? or sayth not the law the same also? 9For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth god take thought for oxen? 10Either saith he it not all together for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt this is written: that he which eareth should ear in hope: and that he which throsheth in hope, should be part taker of his hope. 11If we sow unto you spiritual things: is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things? 12If other be part takers of this power over you? wherefore are not we rather. Nevertheless we have not used this power: but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospell of Christ. 13Do ye not understand how that they which minister in the temple: have their finding of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14Even so also did the Lord ordain, that they which preach the gospell, should live of the gospell:

15But I have used none of these things. Neither wrote I these things that it should be so done unto me. It were better for me to die than any man should take this rejoicing from me. 16In that I preach the gospell I have nothing to rejoice of. For necessity is put unto me. Woe is it unto me if I preach not the gospell. 17If I do it with a good will, I have a reward. If I do it against my will, an office is committed unto me. 18What is my reward then? Verily that when I preach the gospell, I make the gospell of Christ free, that I misuse not mine authority in the gospell.

19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all men, that I might win the more. 20And unto the iewes, I became as a iewe, to win the iewes. To them that were under the law, was I made as though I had been under the law, to win them that were under the law. 21To them that were without law, became I as though I had been without law (when I was not without law as pertaining to god, but under a law as concerning Christ) to win them that were without law. 22To the weak became I as weak, to win the weak. In all thing I fashioned myself to all men, to save at the leastway some. 23And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might have my part thereof.

24Perceive ye not how that they which run in a course, run all, yet but one receiveth the reward? So run that ye may obtain. 25Every man that proveth masteries abstaineth from all things. And they do it to obtain a corruptible crown: but we to obtain an everlasting crown: 26I therefore so run, not as at an uncertain thing. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27but I tame my body and bring him into subjection, lest after that I have preached to other, I myself should be a castaway.