¹ Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you my work in the Lord? ² If I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord. ³ My 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 brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶ Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? ⁷ Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit of it? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock? ⁸ Do I Say these things as+ a man? or does not the law say the same also? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, You will not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care for oxen? ¹⁰ Or says 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. ¹¹ If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we will 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, in case we should+ hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you 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? ¹⁴ Even so has 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 to 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 on me; yes, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to 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 though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. ²⁰ And to 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; 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. 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 of it with [you]. ²⁴ Know you not that they which run in a race run all+ , but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. ²⁵ And every man that strives 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: in case that by any means+ , when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.