The Rights of an Apostle (Deuteronomy 18:1–8)
1 UEB Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my workmanship 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 UEB If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you. For you are the proof 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 UEB This is my defense to those who examine me: BSB BSB: This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:
4 UEB Do we not have the right to eat and drink? BSB BSB: Have we no right to food and to drink?
6 UEB Or is it only Barnabas and I who must work? BSB BSB: Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
7 UEB Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink milk from it? 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 UEB Do I say these things based on human authority? Does not the law also say this? BSB BSB: Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
9 UEB For it is written in the law of Moses, "Do not put a muzzle on an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it really the oxen that God cares about? 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 UEB Is he not speaking about us? It was written for us, because the one who plows should plow in hope, and the one who threshes should thresh in the expectation of sharing in the harvest. 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 UEB If we sowed spiritual things among you, is it too much for us to reap material things from you? BSB BSB: If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?
12 UEB If others exercised this right from you, do we not have even more? But we did not claim this right. Instead we endured everything rather than be a 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 UEB Do you not know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple? Do you not know that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on 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 UEB In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from 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 UEB But I have not claimed any of these rights. And I do not write this so something might be done for me. I would rather die than anyone deprive me of this boast. 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 UEB For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I must do this. And woe be to me if I do not preach 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 UEB For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if not willingly, I still have a responsibility that was entrusted 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 UEB What then is my reward? That when I preach, I may offer the gospel without charge and so not take full use of my right 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 UEB For though I am free from all, I became a servant to all, in order that I might win 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 UEB To the Jews I became like a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law, I became like one under the law in order to win those under the law. I did this even though I myself was not under the law. 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 UEB To those outside the law, I became like one outside the law, although I was not outside the law of God myself, but under the law of Christ. I did this so that I may win those outside 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 UEB To the weak I became weak, so that I may win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. 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 UEB I do all things for the gospel's sake, so that I may participate in its blessings. 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 UEB Do you not know that in a race all the runners run the race, but that only one receives the prize? So run to win the prize. 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 UEB Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a wreath that is perishable, but we do it to receive one that is imperishable. 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 UEB Therefore I do not run without purpose or box by beating the air. BSB BSB: Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.
27 UEB But I subdue my body and make it a slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself may not be disqualified. 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.