1. Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you my work in the Lord?
2. If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.
3. My answer to them that do examine me is this,
4. Have we not the right to eat and to drink?
5. Have we not the right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6. Or I only and Barnabas, have not we the right to forbear working?
7. Who goes to warfare any time at his own expense? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
8. Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?
9. For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does God care for oxen?
10. Or says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your material things?
12. If others be partakers of this right over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this right; but endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.