| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? | 1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? |
| 2If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. | 2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. |
| 3My defense to those who examine me is this: | 3My defense to those who examine me is this: |
| 4Do we have no right to eat and drink? | 4Don't we have the right to eat and drink? |
| 5Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? | 5Don't we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas? |
| 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? | 6Or do Barnabas and I alone have no right to refrain from working? |
| 7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? | 7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? |
| 8Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? | 8Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn't the law also say the same thing? |
| 9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? | 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned with oxen? |
| 10Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. | 10Or isn't He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop. |
| 11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? | 11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? |
| 12If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. | 12If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don't we even more? However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ. |
| 13Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? | 13Don't you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar? |
| 14Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. | 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel. |
| 15But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. | 15But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! |
| 16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! | 16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! |
| 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. | 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship. |
| 18What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. | 18What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel. |
| 19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; | 19Although I am a free man and not anyone's slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. |
| 20and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; | 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law--though I myself am not under the law--to win those under the law. |
| 21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; | 21To those who are without that law, like one without the law--not being without God's law but within Christ's law--to win those without the law. |
| 22to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. | 22To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. |
| 23Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. | 23Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits. |
| 24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. | 24Don't you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. |
| 25And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. | 25Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. |
| 26Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. | 26Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. |
| 27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. | 27Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. |
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