⁷ Who serves as a soldier^(A) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard^(B) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[a](C) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^{(D) 10} Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(E) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^{(F) 11} If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?^{(G) 12} If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.^(H) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder^(I) the gospel of Christ.

¹⁷ The elders^(A) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,^(B) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a](C) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^[b](D)