King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
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 not you my workmanship 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 to others I am not an apostle, 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 wife, as 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 serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the 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 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 when 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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Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher 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 upon 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 the sacrificial offerings?
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 to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one 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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For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach 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 preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right 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 from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.
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 not being myself under the law--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--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--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, that I might win 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 might be partaker thereof with you.
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I do it all for the sake of the gospel, 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 all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain 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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Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
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Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one 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 pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.