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¹ Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my work in the Lord?² If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for ye are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ My answer to them that 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 we not power to forbear working?⁷ Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?⁸ Do I say these things as a man? or saith not the law 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 [this] 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 shall reap your carnal things?¹² If others are 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 who minister about holy things live [from the things] of the temple, and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?¹⁴ Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel should live by 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 boast of: for necessity is laid upon me; and 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 may not abuse my power in the gospel.

¹⁹ For though I am free from all [men], yet I have 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 I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become 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 may be partaker of it with [you].

²⁴ Know ye not, that they who run in a race, all run, 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 I fight, not as one that beateth the air:²⁷ But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.