The Rights of an Apostle (Deuteronomy 18:1–8)
1 RV Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye 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 RV If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye 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 RV My defence to them that examine me is this. BSB BSB: This is my defense to those who scrutinize me:
4 RV Have we no right to eat and to drink? BSB BSB: Have we no right to food and to drink?
6 RV Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? BSB BSB: Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
7 RV What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a 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 RV Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? BSB BSB: Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
9 RV For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, 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 RV or saith he it altogether for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. 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 RV If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall 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 RV If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no 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 RV Know ye not that they which minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they which wait upon the altar have their portion 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 RV Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the gospel should live of 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 RV But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case: for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying 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 RV For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid 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 RV For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted 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 RV What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full 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 RV For though I was free from all men , I brought myself under bondage to 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 RV And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are 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 RV to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without 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 RV To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, 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 RV And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint 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 RV Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may attain. 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 RV And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 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 RV I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: BSB BSB: Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.
27 RV but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. 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.