8. These aren’t just my own thoughts. God’s law says the same thing.
9. Yes, it is written in the Law of Moses: “When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don’t keep it from eating the grain.” When God said this, was he thinking only about work animals? No.
10. He was really talking about us. Yes, that was written for us. The one who plows and the one who separates the grain should both expect to get some of the grain for their work.
11. We planted spiritual seed among you, so we should be able to harvest from you some things for this life. Surely that is not asking too much.
12. Others have this right to get things from you. So surely we have this right too. But we don’t use this right. No, we endure everything ourselves so that we will not stop anyone from obeying the Good News of Christ.
13. Surely you know that those who work at the Temple get their food from the Temple. And those who serve at the altar get part of what is offered at the altar.
14. It is the same with those who have the work of telling the Good News. The Lord has commanded that those who tell the Good News should get their living from this work.
15. But I have not used any of these rights, and I am not trying to get anything from you. That is not my purpose for writing this. I would rather die than to have someone take away what for me is a great source of pride.
16. It’s not my work of telling the Good News that gives me any reason to boast. That is my duty—something I must do. If I don’t tell people the Good News, I am in real trouble.
17. If I did it because it was my own choice, I would deserve to be paid. But I have no choice. I must tell the Good News. So I am only doing the duty that was given to me.
18. So what do I get for doing it? My reward is that when I tell people the Good News I can offer it to them for free and not use the rights that come with doing this work.