Verse 1
Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my worke in the Lord?
Verse 2
If I be not an Apostle vnto other, yet doutlesse I am vnto you: for ye are the seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord.
Verse 3
My defence to them that examine mee, is this,
Verse 4
Haue we not power to eat & to drinke?
Verse 5
Or haue we not power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Verse 6
Or I only and Barnabas, haue not we power not to worke?
Verse 7
Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coste? who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?
Verse 8
Say I these thinges according to man? saith not the Lawe the same also?
Verse 9
For it is written in the Lawe of Moses, Thou shalt not mussell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: doeth God take care for oxen?
Verse 10
Either saith hee it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt it is written, that he which eareth, should eare in hope, & that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope.
Verse 11
If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?
Verse 12
If others with you bee partakers of this power, are not we rather? neuerthelesse, we haue not vsed this power: but suffer all things, that we should not hinder the Gospel of Christ.
Verse 13
Doe ye not knowe, that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? and they which waite at the altar, are partakers with the altar?
Verse 14
So also hath the Lorde ordeined, that they which preach ye Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.
Verse 15
But I haue vsed none of these things: neither wrote I these things, that it should be so done vnto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my reioycing vaine.
Verse 16
For though I preach the Gospel, I haue nothing to reioyce of: for necessitie is laid vpon me, and woe is vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel.
Verse 17
For if I do it willingly, I haue a reward, but if I do it against my will, notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me.
Verse 18
What is my reward then? verely that when I preach the Gospel, I make the Gospel of Christ free, that I abuse not mine authoritie in ye Gospel.
Verse 19
For though I bee free from all men, yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men, that I might winne the moe.
Verse 20
And vnto the Iewes, I become as a Iewe, that I may winne the Iewes: to them that are vnder the Lawe, as though I were vnder the Lawe, that I may winne them that are vnder the Lawe:
Verse 21
To them that are without Lawe, as though I were without Lawe, (when I am not without Lawe as pertaining to God, but am in the Lawe through Christ) that I may winne them that are without Lawe:
Verse 22
To the weake I become as weake, that I may winne the weake: I am made all thinges to all men, that I might by all meanes saue some.
Verse 23
And this I doe for the Gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Verse 24
Knowe ye not, that they which runne in a race, runne all, yet one receiueth the price? so runne that ye may obtaine.
Verse 25
And euery man that proueth masteries, abstaineth fro all things: and they do it to obtaine a corruptible crowne: but we for an vncorruptible.
Verse 26
I therefore so runne, not as vncertainely: so fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre.
Verse 27
But I beate downe my body, & bring it into subiection, lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other, I my selfe should be reproued.