9 Aren’t I free? Aren’t I a missionary? Haven’t I seen Yeshua our master? Aren’t you all the result of my work? 2 If I’m not a missionary to others, at least I am to all of you, because you’re the proof that I’m a missionary for the master. 3 That’s my defence to those who’re questioning my role.

4 Don’t we have a right to eat and drink? 5 Don’t we have a right to take along a believing wife like the rest of the missionaries and the master’s brothers and Peter? 6 Or it is only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? 7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? Who plants a vineyard and isn’t allowed to eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and isn’t allowed to drink the milk they produce?

8 Am I just saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t Moses’ law also teach that? 9 He wrote in those laws: ‘Don’t prevent the ox from eating when it’s working to thresh the grain.’[ref] 10 Isn’t he saying that on our behalf? Yes, it was written for our sake saying that anyone who’s ploughing a field should expect to be paid, and anyone who threshes the grain should expect a share of the harvest. 11 If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it too much to expect a material ‘harvest’ from you?[ref] 12 If other people have the right to this kind of support, don’t we have a greater right?

But we never took advantage of that right—instead we endured everything so that we wouldn’t do anything to hinder the messiah’s good message from spreading. 13 Don’t you know that the temple workers eat from the temple budget, and those who work at the altar receive a portion of what’s offered?[ref] 14 Similarly, the master even instructed that anyone who preaches the good message should be able to make their living off it.[ref]

15 But I haven’t taken advantage of any of those rights, and even now, I’m not writing this to ask for material support for myself—I’d rather die than have someone deprive me of this reason for boasting. 16 And yet, when I preach the good message, it doesn’t give me any good reason to boast because I’m actually obligated to do it—I wouldn’t end well if I didn’t preach the good message 17 because if I do it willingly, I’ll have a reward, but if it’s done unwillingly, I’d be shirking the responsibility entrusted to me. 18 So, what’s my reward? It’s preaching the good message and the privilege of doing it free of charge, so as not to take advantage of the right that the good message gives me.

19 Although I have no obligation to any person, I made myself a slave of everyone in order to win over as many as possible. 20 To the Jews, I behave like the Jew that I am in order to win them. To those under the traditional rules, I behave like one of them (although I myself am not under those rules) in order to win them over. 21 To those outside our religious rules, I behave like them (although not so far as to disobey God’s law, because I’m under Messiah’s law) in order to win them over. 22 To the weak, I become weak to win them over. Yes, I’ve become all things to all people so[fn] that I might be certain of saving some.

23 I do all that for the sake of the good message, so that I’ll share in its blessings. 24 Surely you all know that all the participants in a race run, but only one of them gets the prize? Run in such a way that you get the prize. 25 But everyone who competes has to exercise self-control in every aspect. They do it in order to win a wreath that’ll quickly wilt, but we work towards one that never deteriorates. 26 That’s why I don’t run aimlessly and don’t box like someone punching the air, 27 but I discipline my body and make it serve me, because after preaching to others, I don’t want to end up disqualified myself.