| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? | 1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord? |
| 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. | 2Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. |
| 3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. | 3This is my defense to those who scrutinize me: |
| 4Don't we have the right to food and drink? | 4Have we no right to food and to drink? |
| 5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? | 5Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? |
| 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? | 6Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living? |
| 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? | 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk? |
| 8Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? | 8Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? |
| 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? | 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? |
| 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. | 10Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest. |
| 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? | 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you? |
| 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. | 12If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. |
| 13Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? | 13Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? |
| 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. | 14In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. |
| 15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. | 15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast. |
| 16For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! | 16Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! |
| 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. | 17If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. |
| 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel. | 18What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. |
| 19Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. | 19Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. |
| 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. | 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. |
| 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. | 21To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. |
| 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. | 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. |
| 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. | 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. |
| 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. | 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. |
| 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. | 25Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. |
| 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. | 26Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. |
| 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. | 27No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. |
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