King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
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Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 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.
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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.
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
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This is my defense to those who would examine me.
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
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Do we not have the right to our food and 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?
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Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
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Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?
7 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?
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Who at any time pays the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get any of its milk?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
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Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same?
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?
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For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
10 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.
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Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
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If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?
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, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
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If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
13 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?
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Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is sacrificed on the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
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In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
15 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.
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But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting!
16 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!
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If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim 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 unto me.
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For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
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.
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What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
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For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.
20 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;
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To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those 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.
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To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the 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.
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To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
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I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
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Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
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.
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Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
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So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air;
27 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.
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but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.