¹⁸ What then is my wage? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

⁶ nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,^(A)

⁷ Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God’s good news^[a] to you free of charge?^{(A) 8} I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for my needs were supplied by the brothers who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will continue to refrain from burdening you in any way.^(B)

⁸ and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you.^{(A) 9} This was not because we do not have that right but in order to give you an example to imitate.^(B)

⁵ For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake.^(A)

³³ just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, so that they may be saved.^(A)

⁹ But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.^(A)

⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?^{(A) 7} Who at any time pays the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get any of its milk?^(B)

³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.^(A)

¹³ How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!^(A)

¹⁴ Here I am, ready to come to you this third time, and I will not be a burden because I do not want what is yours but you, for children ought not to save up for their parents but parents for their children.^{(B) 15} I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?^{(C) 16} Be that as it may, I did not burden you. But, crafty person that I am, did I take you in by deceit? ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same footsteps?^(D)