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¹ Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you become christians by my labour? ² if I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for your being christians is the proof of my apostleship.

³ my answer to those who call me to account, is this: ⁴ have we not a right to meat and drink? ⁵ have not we the liberty to take a christian woman with us in our travels, as well as the rest of the apostles, as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas did? ⁶ or I and Barnabas, are we only excluded the privilege of not working? ⁷ who ever serves in war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of the fruit? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock? ⁸ is this only the voice of reason? does not the law express the same too? ⁹ for it is written in the law of Moses , "thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn." are oxen the objects of divine care? ¹⁰ or is it said, no doubt, for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he who plows should plow in hope; and that he who thresheth should expect the advantage. ¹¹ if for your benefit we have sown spirituals, is it so extraordinary if we should reap some benefit from your temporals? ¹² if others partake of your substance, have not I a better title? nevertheless, I have not made use of this privilege; but bear with any thing rather than obstruct the gospel of Christ. ¹³ don't you know, that they who prepare the sacrifices, do eat of the sacrifice in the temple? and they who wait at the altar, have their portion from the altar? ¹⁴ even so has the Lord ordained, that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.

¹⁵ but I have not made use of these advantages. neither have I writ this to obtain such maintenance: for I had rather die for want, than be deprived of such matter of glorying. ¹⁶ for in barely preaching the gospel, I have nothing to glory in: because I am under an obligation to do it; yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel. ¹⁷ now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged. ¹⁸ whence then is my reward? why, from my preaching the gospel of Christ gratis, without making use of the privilege which the gospel gives me.

¹⁹ for tho' I am independent of all men, yet have I subjected myself to all, that I might gain the more. ²⁰ to the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; ²¹ to those who are without the law, as without that law, (not as being under no law to God, but as under the law to Christ) that I might gain those who are without the law. ²² to the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I became all things to all men, that I might save all sorts of men. ²³ and I do all for the gospel's sake, that I may share in the benefits thereof.

²⁴ You know, that in a race, tho' all run, but one receives the prize: so run, that you may obtain. ²⁵ every one that strives for the mastery, is extremely temperate: now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one. ²⁶ I therefore so run, not as one that is distanc'd: I fight, but not with the air. ²⁷ but I mortify my body, and bring it into subjection: lest after having been a herald to others, I my self should be thrown out.