1 Am I not (A)free? Am I not an (B)apostle? Have I not (C)seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not (D)my work in the Lord?
1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
1 I 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?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the (E)seal of my (F)apostleship in the Lord.
2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal(A) of my apostleship in the Lord.
2 If 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.
2 If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it].
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me:
3 This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]:
5 (b)(H)Do we not have a right to take along a (c)believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the (I)brothers of the Lord and (J)Cephas?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
5 Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a Christian wife(a) like the other apostles,(C) the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?(D)
5 We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we?
5 Have we not the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas (Peter)?
7 Who at any time serves (L)as a soldier at his own expense? Who (M)plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not (e)use the milk of the flock?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense?(F) Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?
7 Who 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?
7 [Consider this:] Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8 I am not speaking these things (N)according to (f)human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
8 Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
8 I am not saying this on human authority, am I? The Law says the same thing, doesn't it?
8 Do I say these things only from a man’s perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “(O)You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about (P)oxen, is He?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox(G) while it treads out grain.(H)(b) Is God really concerned with oxen?
9 For 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?
10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, (Q)for our sake it was written, because (R)the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
10 Or isn’t He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us,(I) because he who plows ought to plow in hope,(J) and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop.(K)
10 Isn'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.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?
11 If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we (T)did not use this right, but we endure all things (U)so that we will cause no hindrance to the (V)gospel of Christ.
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
12 If 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(L) so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.
12 If 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.
12 If others share in this rightful claim over you, do not we even more? However, we did not exercise this right, but we put up with everything so that we will not hinder [the spread of] the good news of Christ.
13 (W)Do you not know that those who (X)perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share (g)from the altar?
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
13 Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar(M) share in the offerings of the altar?
13 You 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?
14 So also (Y)the Lord directed those who proclaim the (Z)gospel to (AA)get their living from the gospel.
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.(N)
14 In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who proclaim the gospel should make their living from the gospel.
14 So also [on the same principle] the Lord directed those who preach the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
15 But I have (AB)used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make (AC)my boast an empty one.
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
15 But 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!
15 But 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.
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for (AD)I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach (AE)the gospel.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
16 For 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!
16 For 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!
16 For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. Woe to me if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]!
17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a (AF)reward; but if against my will, I have a (AG)stewardship entrusted to me.
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted(O) with a stewardship.
17 For if I preach voluntarily, I get a reward, but if I am unwilling to do it, I am still entrusted with that obligation.
18 What then is my (AH)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel (AI)without charge, so as (AJ)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
18 What 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.(P)
18 What, 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.
18 What then is my reward? [Just this:] that, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge [to everyone], so as not to take advantage of my rights [as a preacher and apostle] in [preaching] the gospel.
19 For though I am (AK)free from all men, I have made myself (AL)a slave to all, so that I may (AM)win more.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
19 Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win(Q) more people.
19 Although I am free from everyone's expectations, I have made myself a servant to all of them to win more people.
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ].
20 (AN)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under (h)the Law, as under (i)the Law though (AO)not being myself under (j)the Law, so that I might win those who are under (k)the Law;
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
20 To 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(c)—to win those under the law.(R)
20 To 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).
21 to those who are (AP)without law, (AQ)as without law, though not being without the law of God but (AR)under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
21 To those who are without that law,(S) like one without the law—not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law—to win those without the law.
21 To 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.
21 To those who are without (outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22 To the (AS)weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become (AT)all things to all men, (AU)so that I may by all means save some.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
22 To 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.(T)
22 To 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.
23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel in order to have a share in its blessings.
23 And I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings along with you.
24 (AV)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives (AW)the prize? (AX)Run in such a way that you may win.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,(U) but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.(V)
24 You 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.
25 Everyone who (AY)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable (AZ)wreath, but we an imperishable.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control(W) in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown(X) that will fade away,(Y) but we a crown that will never fade away.
25 Everyone 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.
26 Therefore I (BA)run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not (BB)beating the air;
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
26 Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air.
26 That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing.
26 Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing].
27 but I (l)discipline (BC)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.(Z)
27 No, 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.
27 But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].
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