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

Who serves as a soldier(F) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard(G) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:5 That is, Peter

This is my defense to those who would examine me: We have the right to earn our food,[a] don’t we? We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas,[b] don’t we? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to keep on working for a living? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:4 Lit. to eat and drink
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:5 I.e. Peter

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?

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

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