| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you? | 1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? |
| 2If I am not an apostle to other people, surely I am one to you, for you are the evidence of my apostolic authority from the Lord. | 2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. |
| 3This is my defense to those who would examine me: | 3This is my defense to those who would examine me. |
| 4We have the right to earn our food, don't we? | 4Do we not have the right to eat and drink? |
| 5We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we? | 5Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? |
| 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living? | 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? |
| 7Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk? | 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? |
| 8I am not saying this on human authority, am I? The Law says the same thing, doesn't it? | 8Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? |
| 9For in the Law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." God is not only concerned about oxen, is he? | 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? |
| 10Isn't he really speaking for our benefit? Yes, this was written for our benefit, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. | 10Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. |
| 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? | 11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? |
| 12If others enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we tolerate everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of the Messiah. | 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. |
| 13You know that those who work in the Temple get their food from the Temple and that those who serve at the altar get their share of its offerings, don't you? | 13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? |
| 14In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who proclaim the gospel should make their living from the gospel. | 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. |
| 15But I have not used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this so that they may be applied in my case. I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason for boasting. | 15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. |
| 16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn't preach the gospel! | 16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! |
| 17For if I preach voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with that obligation. | 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. |
| 18What, then, is my reward? It is to be able to preach the gospel free of charge, and so I never resort to demanding my rights when I'm preaching the gospel. | 18What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. |
| 19Although I am free from everyone's expectations, I have made myself a servant to all of them to win more people. | 19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. |
| 20To the Jews I became like a Jew in order to win Jews. To those under the Law I became like a man under the Law, in order to win those under the Law (although I myself am not under the Law). | 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. |
| 21To those who do not have the Law, I became like a man who does not have the Law in order to win those who do not have the Law. However, I am not free from God's Law, but I'm subject to the Messiah's law. | 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. |
| 22To the weak I became weak in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some of them. | 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. |
| 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel in order to have a share in its blessings. | 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. |
| 24You know that in a race all the runners run but only one wins the prize, don't you? You must run in such a way that you may be victorious. | 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. |
| 25Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades. | 25Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. |
| 26That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing. | 26So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. |
| 27No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified. | 27But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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