5
8Do we not have a right to takealong a believingwife, even as the rest of the apostles and the 9brothers of the Lord and 10Cephas?
6
Or do only11Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
7
Who at anytimeserves12as a soldier at his ownexpense? Who13plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Orwhotends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8
I am not speakingthesethings14according to humanjudgment, am I? Or does not the Lawalsosaythesethings?
9
For it is written in the Law of Moses, "15YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about 16oxen, is He?
10
Or is He speakingaltogether for our sake? Yes, 17for our sake it was written, because18the plowmanought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
11
19If we sowedspiritualthings in you, is it toomuchif we reapmaterialthings from you?
12
Ifothersshare the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we 20did not usethisright, but we endureallthings21so that we will causeno*hindrance to the 22gospel of Christ.
13
23Do you not know that those who 24performsacredserviceseat the food of the temple, and those who attendregularly to the altarhave their share from the altar?
14
Soalso25the Lorddirectedthose who proclaim the 26gospel to 27get their living from the gospel.
15
But I have 28usednone of thesethings. And I am not writingthesethingsso that it will be doneso in my case; for it would be better* for me to diethan have any man make29my boast an empty one.
16
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for 30I amundercompulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach31the gospel.
17
For if I dothisvoluntarily, I have a 32reward; but ifagainst my will, I have a 33stewardshipentrusted to me.
18
Whatthen is my 34reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel35withoutcharge, so as 36not to makefulluse of my right in the gospel.
19
For though I am37free from all men, I have mademyself38a slave to all, so that I may 39winmore.
20
40To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might winJews; to thosewho are under the Law, as under the Law though 41not beingmyselfunder the Law, so that I might winthosewho are under the Law;
21
to those who are 42withoutlaw, 43as withoutlaw, though not beingwithout the law of God but 44under the law of Christ, so that I might winthose who are withoutlaw.
22
To the 45weak I becameweak, that I might win the weak; I have become46allthings to allmen, 47so that I may by allmeanssavesome.
23
I doallthings for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellowpartaker of it.
24
48Do you not know that those who run in a raceallrun, but only onereceives49the prize? 50Run in such a way that you may win.
25
Everyone who 51competes in the gamesexercisesself-control in allthings. They then do it to receive a perishable52wreath, but we an imperishable.
26
Therefore I 53run in such a way, as not withoutaim; I box in such a way, as not 54beating the air;
27
but I discipline55my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.