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1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
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2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
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3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
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4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
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5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
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6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
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7 Who 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?
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8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
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9 For 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?
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10 Or 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.
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11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
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12 If 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.
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13 Do 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?
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14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
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15 But 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.
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16 For 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!
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17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
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18 What 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.
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19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
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20 And 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;
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21 To 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.
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22 To 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.
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23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
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24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
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25 And 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.
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26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
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27 But 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.
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- 1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
- 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
- 3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
- 4 Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
- 5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
- 6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
- 7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
- 8 I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
- 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He?
- 10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
- 11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
- 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
- 13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?
- 14 So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
- 15 But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
- 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
- 17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
- 18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
- 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
- 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
- 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
- 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
- 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
- 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
- 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
- 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
- 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
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