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. Do we not have the right to our food and drink?(A) Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife,[a] as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?(B) Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?(C) 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?(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.5 Gk a sister as wife

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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