Study Desk

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

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.

My defense to those who examine me is this:

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

Do we not have a right to eat and drink?

Have we not power to eat and to drink?

Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

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?

Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not consume some of the milk of the flock?

Who 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?

I am not just asserting these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well?

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

For it is written in the Law of Moses: "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE IT IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about oxen, is He?

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?

Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops.

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 his hope.

If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

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.

Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?

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 altar?

So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

But I have used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make my boast an empty one!

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.

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

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!

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a commission nonetheless.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

What, then, is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

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.

For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more.

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law;

And unto 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;

to those who are without the Law, I became as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law.

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.

To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some.

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.

I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

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.

Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air;

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

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.