1 Corinthians 9:3-18

3My defense to those who examine me is this:

4Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?

5Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?

6Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?

7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

8Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing?

9For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned about oxen?

10Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.

11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?

12If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

13Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?

14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.

15For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast!

16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach  — and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a commission.

18What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel.