The Rights of an Apostle (Deuteronomy 18:1–8)
1 DRA Am not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? BSB BSB: Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?
2 DRA And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. BSB BSB: Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 DRA My defence with them that do examine me is this. BSB BSB: This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:
4 DRA Have not we power to eat and to drink? BSB BSB: Have we no right to food and to drink?
6 DRA Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this? BSB BSB: Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
7 DRA Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? BSB BSB: Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?
8 DRA Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things? BSB BSB: Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
9 DRA For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? BSB BSB: For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
10 DRA Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit. BSB BSB: Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.
11 DRA If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things? BSB BSB: If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?
12 DRA If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. BSB BSB: If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 DRA Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar? BSB BSB: Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
14 DRA So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel. BSB BSB: In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 DRA But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void. BSB BSB: But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast.
16 DRA For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. BSB BSB: Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 DRA For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me: BSB BSB: If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.
18 DRA What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. BSB BSB: What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.
Paul the Servant to All 19 DRA For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more. BSB BSB: Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
20 DRA And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews: BSB BSB: To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.
21 DRA To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law. BSB BSB: To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.
22 DRA To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all. BSB BSB: To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
23 DRA And I do all things for the gospel’s sake: that I may be made partaker thereof. BSB BSB: I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Run Your Race to Win 24 DRA Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. BSB BSB: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.
25 DRA And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. BSB BSB: Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.
26 DRA I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: BSB BSB: Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.
27 DRA But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. BSB BSB: No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.