9:1 Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord?
9:2 if to others I am not an apostle -- yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.
9:3 My defence to those who examine me in this;
9:4 have we not authority to eat and to drink?
9:5 have we not authority a sister -- a wife -- to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
9:6 or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority -- not to work?
9:7 who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?
9:8 According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things?
9:9 for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?
9:10 or because of us by all means doth He say `it'? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading `ought' of his hope to partake in hope.
9:11 If we to you the spiritual things did sow -- great `is it' if we your fleshly things do reap?
9:12 if others do partake of the authority over you -- not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ.
9:13 Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple -- of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar -- with the altar are partakers?
9:14 so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.
9:15 And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for `it is' good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void;
9:16 for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news;
9:17 for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted!
9:18 What, then, is my reward? -- that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;
9:19 for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain;
9:20 and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain;
9:21 to those without law, as without law -- (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) -- that I might gain those without law;
9:22 I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.
9:23 And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;
9:24 have ye not known that those running in a race -- all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain;
9:25 and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible;
9:26 I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;
9:27 but I chastise my body, and bring `it' into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.