⁴ Don’t we have the right to food and drink?^(A)

⁶ We were not looking for praise from people,^(A) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles^(B) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.^(C)

⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked^(A) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,^(B) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.^(C)

⁷ Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.^(A) Do not move around from house to house.

⁹ Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked^(A) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone^(B) while we preached the gospel of God to you.

⁶ Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.^(A)

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.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?^{(J) 14} In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.^(K)

¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^(A)

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)