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 I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who examine me: 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have no right to refrain from working? 7 Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not feed on the flock’s milk?

8 Am I saying these things in merely human terms? Does not the law say these things too? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing.” Is God concerned about oxen? 10 Or does he say it entirely for our sake? For it was written for our sake, because the one who plows ought to plow in hope, and the one who threshes in hope of receiving a share. 11 If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share in this right over you, do we not even more? But we have not used this right. Instead, we endure all things so that we may put no obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred duties eat from the temple, and those who attend the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord directed that those who proclaim the gospel should live from the gospel.

15 But I have used none of these rights. And I have not written these things so that this may be done for me, for I would rather die than—no one will nullify my boast! 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, for necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What, then, is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may offer it free of charge, without making full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all, I made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews. To those under the law, as one under the law, though I myself am not under the law, so that I might win those under the law. 21 To those without law, as one without law, though not without God’s law but under Christ’s law, so that I might win those without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all, so that by all means I might save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in 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 obtain it. 25 Everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I beat my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself may not be disqualified.