1Am I not an apostle?am I notfree? have I notseenJesusChristourLord?arenotyemyworkin the Lord?
2If I benot an apostle unto others, yetdoubtless I am to you: for the seal of mineapostleshipareyein the Lord.
3Mineanswer to them that do examinemeisthis,
4
Have wenotpower to eatand to drink?
5
Have wenotpower to lead about a sister, a wife, as well asotherapostles, andas the brethren of the Lord, andCephas?
6OrIonlyandBarnabas, havenotwepower to forbearworking?
7Who goeth a warfare any time at his owncharges?whoplanteth a vineyard, andeatethnotof the fruitthereof?orwhofeedeth a flock, andeatethnotof the milkof the flock?
8
Say I these thingsas a man?orsaithnot the law the samealso?
9For it is writtenin the law of Moses, Thou shaltnotmuzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. DothGod take careforoxen?
10Or saith he it altogetherforoursakes?Foroursakes, no doubt, this is written: thathethatplowethshouldplowinhope; andthathethatthreshethinhopeshould be partakerofhishope.
11Ifwe have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thingifwe shall reapyour carnal things?
12Ifothers be partakers of thispower over you, are notwerather?Neverthelesswehavenotusedthispower; butsuffer all things, lestweshouldhinder the gospel of Christ.
13
Do yenotknowthat they which minister about holy thingsliveof the thingsof the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14Evensohath the Lordordained that they which preach the gospel should liveof the gospel.
15ButI have usednone of these things: neither have Iwritten these things, that it should besodoneuntome: for it were betterforme to die, thanthat any man should makemygloryingvoid.
16ForthoughIpreach the gospel, Ihavenothing to glory of: fornecessityis laid uponme; yea, woeis unto me, ifIpreachnot the gospel!
17Forif I do this thingwillingly, I have a reward: butif against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18Whatismyrewardthen? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abusenotmypowerin the gospel.
19For though I befreefromall men, yet have I mademyselfservant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20And unto the Jews I becameas a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, asunder 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 became Iasweak, thatImightgain the weak: I am madeallthings to all men, thatImight by allmeanssavesome.
23Andthis I dofor the gospel's sake, that I might bepartakerthereofwith you.
24
Know yenotthat they which runin a racerunall, butonereceiveth the prize?Sorun, thatye may obtain.
25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Nowthey do it toobtain a corruptiblecrown; butwe an incorruptible.
26Ithereforesorun, notasuncertainly; so fight I, notas one that beateth the air:
27But I keep undermybody, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.