Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

Have we not power to eat and to drink?

Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

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Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

Am I not free?(A) Am I not an apostle?(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?(D) Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal(E) of my apostleship in the Lord.

This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink?(F) Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife(G) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers(H) and Cephas[a]?(I) Or is it only I and Barnabas(J) who lack the right to not work for a living?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:5 That is, Peter