The Rights of the Apostles

(Deuteronomy 18:1-8)

1Am not I an apostle? am not I free? Jesus Christ our Lord have I not seen? my work are not ye in the Lord? 2if to others I am not an apostle — yet doubtless to you I am; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3My defence to those who examine me in this; 4have we not authority to eat and to drink? 5have we not authority a sister — a wife — to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6or only I and Barnabas, have we not authority — not to work? 7who doth serve as a soldier at his own charges at any time? who doth plant a vineyard, and of its fruit doth not eat? or who doth feed a flock, and of the milk of the flock doth not eat?

8According to man do I speak these things? or doth not also the law say these things? 9for in the law of Moses it hath been written, ‘thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;’ for the oxen doth God care? 10or because of us by all means doth He say [it]? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading [ought] of his hope to partake in hope. 11If we to you the spiritual things did sow — great [is it] if we your fleshly things do reap? 12if others do partake of the authority over you — not we more? but we did not use this authority, but all things we bear, that we may give no hindrance to the good news of the Christ. 13Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple — of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar — with the altar are partakers? 14so also did the Lord direct to those proclaiming the good news: of the good news to live.

15And I have used none of these things; neither did I write these things that it may be so done in my case, for [it is] good for me rather to die, than that any one may make my glorying void; 16for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news; 17for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly — with a stewardship I have been entrusted! 18What, then, is my reward? — that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;

Paul a Servant to All

19for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain; 20and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain; 21to those without law, as without law — (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) — that I might gain those without law; 22I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some. 23And this I do because of the good news, that a fellow-partaker of it I may become;

Run Your Race to Win

24have ye not known that those running in a race — all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain; 25and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible; 26I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air; 27but I chastise my body, and bring [it] into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others — I myself may become disapproved.