1Am I not free ? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord ? are not ye my work in the Lord ? 2If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you ; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord . 3My defence to them that examine me is this . 4Have we no right to eat and to drink ? 5Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord , and Cephas ? 6Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working ? 7What soldier ever serveth at his own charges ? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock , and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? 8Do I speak these things after the manner of men ? or saith not the law also the same ? 9For it is written in the law of Moses , Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth , 10or saith he it assuredly for our sake ? Yea , for our sake it was written : because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope , and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. 11If we sowed unto you spiritual things , is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things ? 12If others partake of this right over you , do not we yet more ? Nevertheless we did not use this right ; but we bear all things , that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ . 13Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple , and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar ? 14Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel .
Becoming All Things to All People
15But I have used none of these things : and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case ; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void . 16For if I preach the gospel , I have nothing to glory of ; for necessity is laid upon me ; for woe is unto me , if I preach not the gospel . 17For if I do this of mine own will , I have a reward : but if not of mine own will , I have a stewardship intrusted to me . 18What then is my reward ? That , when I preach the gospel , I may make the gospel without charge , so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel . 19For though I was free from all men , I brought myself under bondage to all , that I might gain the more . 20And to the Jews I became as a Jew , that I might gain Jews ; to them that are under the law , as under the law , not being myself under the law , that I might gain them that are under the law ; 21to them that are without law , as without law , not being without law to God , but under law to Christ , that I might gain them that are without law . 22To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men , that I may by all means save some . 23And I do all things for the gospel ’s sake , that I may be a joint partaker thereof .
The Race of Faith
24Know ye not that they that run in a race run all , but one receiveth the prize ? Even so run ; that ye may attain. 25And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things . Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run , as not uncertainly; so fight I , as not beating the air: 27but I buffet my body , and bring it into bondage: lest by any means , after that I have preached to others , I myself should be rejected.