¹⁵ But ^(A)I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone ^(B)deprive me of my ground for boasting.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, ^(A)our labor and toil: we ^(B)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

⁸ nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but ^(A)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

¹² If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

Nevertheless, ^(A)we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything ^(B)rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

⁹ And when I was with you and was ^(A)in need, ^(B)I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia ^(C)supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain ^(D)from burdening you in any way. ^10 (E)As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine ^(F)will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ And why? ^(G)Because I do not love you? ^(H)God knows I do!

¹² And what I am doing I will continue to do, ^(I)in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

^34 (A)You yourselves know that ^(B)these hands ministered to my necessities and ^(C)to those who were with me.

²⁴ But ^(A)I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only ^(B)I may finish my course and ^(C)the ministry ^(D)that I received from the Lord Jesus, ^(E)to testify to ^(F)the gospel of ^(G)the grace of God.

³ and ^(A)because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

²⁰ as it is my eager expectation and hope ^(A)that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^(B)courage now as always Christ ^(C)will be honored in my body, ^(D)whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me ^(E)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ^23 (F)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^(G)to depart and ^(H)be with Christ, for that is far better.