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)

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

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you but bold toward you when I am away!^(A)—

⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?^(A)

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 You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.^(A)

¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.^(A)

¹⁵ But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting! ¹⁶ If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this of my own will, I have a wage, but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.^{(B) 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.

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

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

¹⁰ We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are sensible people in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.^{(A) 11} To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are naked and beaten and homeless,^{(B) 12} and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;^(C)

³⁴ You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions.^(A)