The Rights of an Apostle
(Deuteronomy 18:1–8)

1 Οὐκ (Not) εἰμὶ (am I) ἐλεύθερος (free)? οὐκ (Not) εἰμὶ (am I) ἀπόστολος (an apostle)? οὐχὶ (Not) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus) τὸν (the) Κύριον (Lord) ἡμῶν (of us) ἑόρακα (have I seen)? οὐ (Not) τὸ (the) ἔργον (work) μου (of me) ὑμεῖς (you⁺) ἐστε (are) ἐν (in) Κυρίῳ (the Lord)? 2 εἰ (If) ἄλλοις (to others) οὐκ (not) εἰμὶ (I am) ἀπόστολος (an apostle), ἀλλά (yet) γε (indeed) ὑμῖν (to you⁺) εἰμι (I am)· ἡ (the) γὰρ (for) σφραγίς (seal) μου (of my) τῆς (the) ἀποστολῆς (apostleship) ὑμεῖς (you⁺) ἐστε (are) ἐν (in) Κυρίῳ (the Lord).

3 Ἡ (-) ἐμὴ (My) ἀπολογία (defense) τοῖς (to those) ἐμὲ (me) ἀνακρίνουσίν (examining) ἐστιν (is) αὕτη (this). 4 μὴ (No) οὐκ (not) ἔχομεν (have we) ἐξουσίαν (the authority) φαγεῖν (to eat) καὶ (and) πεῖν (to drink)? 5 μὴ (No) οὐκ (not) ἔχομεν (have we) ἐξουσίαν (authority) ἀδελφὴν (a sister) γυναῖκα (a wife) περιάγειν (to take along), ὡς (as) καὶ (also) οἱ (the) λοιποὶ (other) ἀπόστολοι (apostles) καὶ (and) οἱ (the) ἀδελφοὶ (brothers) τοῦ (of the) Κυρίου (Lord) καὶ (and) Κηφᾶς (Cephas)? 6 ἢ (Or) μόνος (only) ἐγὼ (I) καὶ (and) Βαρνάβας (Barnabas) οὐκ (not) ἔχομεν (have we) ἐξουσίαν (authority) μὴ (not) ἐργάζεσθαι (to work)?

7 Τίς (Who) στρατεύεται (serves as a soldier) ἰδίοις (at his own) ὀψωνίοις (expense) ποτέ (at any time)? τίς (Who) φυτεύει (plants) ἀμπελῶνα (a vineyard) καὶ (and) τὸν (the) καρπὸν (fruit) αὐτοῦ (of it) οὐκ (not) ἐσθίει (eats)? ἢ (Or) τίς (who) ποιμαίνει (shepherds) ποίμνην (a flock) καὶ (and) ἐκ (from) τοῦ (the) γάλακτος (milk) τῆς (of the) ποίμνης (flock) οὐκ (not) ἐσθίει (drinks)?

8 Μὴ (Not) κατὰ (according to) ἄνθρωπον (man) ταῦτα (these things) λαλῶ (do I speak), ἢ (Or) καὶ (also) ὁ (the) νόμος (law) ταῦτα (these things) οὐ (not) λέγει (says)? 9 ἐν (In) γὰρ (for) τῷ (the) Μωϋσέως (of Moses) νόμῳ (law) γέγραπται (it has been written)· Οὐ (Not) κημώσεις (you shall muzzle) βοῦν (an ox) ἀλοῶντα (treading out grain). μὴ (Not) τῶν (for the) βοῶν (oxen) μέλει (is there care) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (with God)? 10 ἢ (Or) δι’ (because of) ἡμᾶς (us) πάντως (entirely) λέγει (does He speak)? δι’ (Because of) ἡμᾶς (us) γὰρ (for) ἐγράφη (it was written), ὅτι (because) ὀφείλει (ought) ἐπ’ (in) ἐλπίδι (hope) ὁ (the one) ἀροτριῶν (plowing) ἀροτριᾶν (to plow), καὶ (and) ὁ (the one) ἀλοῶν (threshing) ἐπ’ (in) ἐλπίδι (hope) τοῦ (-) μετέχειν (to partake).

11 Εἰ (If) ἡμεῖς (we) ὑμῖν (among you⁺) τὰ (-) πνευματικὰ (spiritual things) ἐσπείραμεν (sowed), μέγα (is it too much) εἰ (if) ἡμεῖς (we) ὑμῶν (from you⁺) τὰ (-) σαρκικὰ (fleshly things) θερίσομεν (will reap)? 12 εἰ (If) ἄλλοι (others) τῆς (of the) ὑμῶν (over you⁺) ἐξουσίας (authority) μετέχουσιν (partake), οὐ (should not) μᾶλλον (more) ἡμεῖς (we)? ἀλλ’ (But) οὐκ (not) ἐχρησάμεθα (we used) τῇ (the) ἐξουσίᾳ (authority) ταύτῃ (this), ἀλλὰ (But) πάντα (all things) στέγομεν (we bear) ἵνα (so that) μή (not) τινα (any) ἐνκοπὴν (hindrance) δῶμεν (we should give) τῷ (to the) εὐαγγελίῳ (gospel) τοῦ (of) Χριστοῦ (Christ).

13 Οὐκ (Not) οἴδατε (do you⁺ know) ὅτι (that) οἱ (those) τὰ (in the) ἱερὰ (temple) ἐργαζόμενοι (working) τὰ (the things) ἐκ (of) τοῦ (the) ἱεροῦ (temple) ἐσθίουσιν (eat), οἱ (those) τῷ (at the) θυσιαστηρίῳ (altar) παρεδρεύοντες (attending) τῷ (in the) θυσιαστηρίῳ (altar) συμμερίζονται (partake)? 14 οὕτως (So) καὶ (also) ὁ (the) Κύριος (Lord) διέταξεν (directed) τοῖς (those) τὸ (the) εὐαγγέλιον (gospel) καταγγέλλουσιν (proclaiming) ἐκ (from) τοῦ (the) εὐαγγελίου (gospel) ζῆν (to live)· 15 ἐγὼ (I) δὲ (however) οὐ (not) κέχρημαι (have used) οὐδενὶ (none) τούτων (of these). οὐκ (Neither) ἔγραψα (did I write) δὲ (now) ταῦτα (these things) ἵνα (so that) οὕτως (thus) γένηται (it should be) ἐν (with) ἐμοί (me)· καλὸν (it is good) γάρ (for) μοι (for me) μᾶλλον (rather) ἀποθανεῖν (to die) ἢ (than)—τὸ (the) καύχημά (boasting) μου (of me) οὐδεὶς (anyone) κενώσει (will make void).

16 Ἐὰν (If) γὰρ (for) εὐαγγελίζωμαι (I preach the gospel), οὐκ (not) ἔστιν (there is) μοι (to me) καύχημα (boasting)· ἀνάγκη (necessity) γάρ (for) μοι (me) ἐπίκειται (is laid upon)· οὐαὶ (Woe) γάρ (however) μοί (to me) ἐστιν (be) ἐὰν (if) μὴ (not) εὐαγγελίσωμαι (I should preach the gospel). 17 εἰ (If) γὰρ (for) ἑκὼν (willingly) τοῦτο (this) πράσσω (I do), μισθὸν (a reward) ἔχω (I have)· εἰ (if) δὲ (however) ἄκων (unwillingly), οἰκονομίαν (a stewardship) πεπίστευμαι (I have been entrusted with). 18 τίς (What) οὖν (then) μού (of me) ἐστιν (is) ὁ (the) μισθός (reward)? ἵνα (That) εὐαγγελιζόμενος (preaching the gospel) ἀδάπανον (free of charge) θήσω (I should lay down) τὸ (the) εὐαγγέλιον (gospel), εἰς (so as) τὸ (-) μὴ (not) καταχρήσασθαι (to use up) τῇ (the) ἐξουσίᾳ (authority) μου (of me) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) εὐαγγελίῳ (gospel).

Paul the Servant to All

19 Ἐλεύθερος (Free) γὰρ (for) ὢν (being) ἐκ (from) πάντων (all) πᾶσιν (to all) ἐμαυτὸν (myself) ἐδούλωσα (I became a slave), ἵνα (so that) τοὺς (the) πλείονας (more) κερδήσω (I might gain)· 20 καὶ (And) ἐγενόμην (I became) τοῖς (to the) Ἰουδαίοις (Jews) ὡς (as) Ἰουδαῖος (a Jew), ἵνα (so that) Ἰουδαίους (the Jews) κερδήσω (I might gain)· τοῖς (to those) ὑπὸ (under) νόμον (the law) ὡς (as) ὑπὸ (under) νόμον (the law), μὴ (not) ὢν (being) αὐτὸς (myself) ὑπὸ (under) νόμον (the law), ἵνα (so that) τοὺς (those) ὑπὸ (under) νόμον (the law) κερδήσω (I might gain)· 21 τοῖς (to those) ἀνόμοις (without the law) ὡς (like) ἄνομος (without the law), μὴ (not) ὢν (being) ἄνομος (without the law) Θεοῦ (of God) ἀλλ’ (but) ἔννομος (within the law) Χριστοῦ (of Christ), ἵνα (so that) κερδάνω (I might gain) τοὺς (those) ἀνόμους (without the law)· 22 ἐγενόμην (I became) τοῖς (to the) ἀσθενέσιν (weak) ἀσθενής (weak), ἵνα (so that) τοὺς (the) ἀσθενεῖς (weak) κερδήσω (I might gain)· τοῖς (-) πᾶσιν (to all) γέγονα (I have become) πάντα (all things), ἵνα (so that) πάντως (by all means) τινὰς (some) σώσω (I might save).

23 Πάντα (All) δὲ (now) ποιῶ (I do) διὰ (because of) τὸ (the) εὐαγγέλιον (gospel), ἵνα (so that) συνκοινωνὸς (a fellow partaker) αὐτοῦ (of it) γένωμαι (I might become).

Run Your Race to Win

24 Οὐκ (Not) οἴδατε (do you⁺ know) ὅτι (that) οἱ (those) ἐν (in) σταδίῳ (a race) τρέχοντες (running) πάντες (all) μὲν (indeed) τρέχουσιν (run), εἷς (one) δὲ (however) λαμβάνει (receives) τὸ (the) βραβεῖον (prize)? οὕτως (Thus) τρέχετε (run) ἵνα (so that) καταλάβητε (you⁺ might obtain it). 25 πᾶς (Everyone) δὲ (now) ὁ (-) ἀγωνιζόμενος (striving) πάντα (in all things) ἐγκρατεύεται (controls himself), ἐκεῖνοι (these) μὲν (indeed) οὖν (then) ἵνα (so that) φθαρτὸν (a perishable) στέφανον (crown) λάβωσιν (they might receive), ἡμεῖς (we) δὲ (however) ἄφθαρτον (an imperishable). 26 ἐγὼ (I) τοίνυν (therefore) οὕτως (thus) τρέχω (run) ὡς (as) οὐκ (not) ἀδήλως (aimlessly), οὕτως (thus) πυκτεύω (I fight) ὡς (as) οὐκ (not) ἀέρα (the air) δέρων (beating)· 27 ἀλλὰ (But) ὑπωπιάζω (I batter) μου (of me) τὸ (the) σῶμα (body) καὶ (and) δουλαγωγῶ (bring it into servitude), μή (lest) πως (somehow) ἄλλοις (to others) κηρύξας (having preached) αὐτὸς (myself) ἀδόκιμος (disqualified) γένωμαι (I might be).