For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news??ut not with fine language, or the cross of Christ might seem an empty thing.

For no matter how many guides you may have in the Christian life, you will not have many fathers; for in this matter of union with Christ, I became your father, through preaching the good news to you.

If others enjoy such rights over you, have we not a still better claim? But, you say, we have never availed ourselves of this right. No, we will stand anything rather than put any hindrance in the way of the good news of the Christ.

In just that way the Lord directed that those who preach the good news should get their living from it.

As far as preaching the good news is concerned, that is nothing for me to boast of, for I cannot help doing it. For I am ruined if I do not preach.

What pay then do I get? Why, that in my preaching I can offer the good news without cost, and so not take full advantage of my rights as a preacher.

And I do it all for the sake of the good news, so that I may share in its blessings along with the rest.

Now I want to remind you, brothers, of the form in which I presented to you the good news I brought, which you accepted and have stood by,