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?.
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.
3
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
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?
6 Or I only and Barnabas,
have not we power to forbear working?
7 What 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?
8 Say I these things as a man? Or saith not the law of the same also?
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?
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 this hope.
11 If we have sown unto
you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal
things?
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.
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 altars?
14 Even so hath the LORD
ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
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.
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!
17 For if I do things
thing willingly, I have a reward:
but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed
unto me.
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.
19 For thou I be free
from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain
the more.
20 And unto the Jews I
became as a Jew, that I might gaint the Jews; to them that are under the
law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
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 the law.
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.
23 And this I do for the
gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they
which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
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.
26 I therefore so run,
not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
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.
