chapter nine

¹(question) am I then not free? (question) am I then not a Shliach? (question) have I then not seen our L-rd Yehoshua? or are you (PL) then not my work in the L-rd?

²if for others am I not a Shliach, yet for you (PL) am I yes; because the seal of my Shlichus are you (PL) in the L-rd.

³my defense for those, who judge me, is this:

⁴(question) have we then not any right to eat and to drink?

⁵or have we then not any right be accompanied by a sister as a wife? as also the other Shlichim and the brothers of the L-rd and Kefa.

⁶or am I it alone and Bar-Nabba, that we have not any right not to work?

⁷when serves there a soldier on his own expenses? who plants it a vineyard, and eats not its fruit? or who tends/feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?

⁸I speak this simply as a man? or says not it? even the Torah?

⁹because in law of Moses stands written: you (SG) you shall not shut/muzzle an ox the mouth, when he treads (the grain). (Deuteronomy 25, 4) or concerns Himself then Hashem (only) for oxen?

¹⁰or says he it for our sakes in general? yes, for our sakes is it written become; because the plower must plow with hope, and the thresher with hope to have a share.

¹¹if we have you (PL) sown spiritual things, is it such great thing, if we should reap your (PL) material things?

¹²if others have a share in the right over you (PL), have we then no longer (right)? we however have not used the these right, but we endure anything, so that we should not create any kind of hindrance for the News Good of the Moshiach.

¹³or know you (PL) then not, that those, who occupy themselves with holy ministries, eat of the things in Beis HaMikdash, and those, who serve/attend at the altar, have a share in altar?

¹⁴and thus has also the L-rd commanded for those, who say/preach on the News Good, to live from the News Good.

¹⁵I however have myself not made use with any of the these things; and have this not written, so that should it thus do in relation to me; because it is me rather to die, than someone shall negate make my glory.

¹⁶because if I announce the good News, have I not with what myself to boast, because upon me lies a debt; because woe is me, when I announce not the good News!

¹⁷because if I do the these willingly, have I a reward; if however not gladly/willingly (of my own will)—is it a stewardship/commission me entrusted.

¹⁸what then is my reward? that announcing the News Good, shall I propose the News Good free of charge, and not make any use of my right in the good News.

¹⁹because being free of (to) everyone, have I myself made for everyone's servant, so that I shall more (people) gain.

²⁰and to Jews did I become as a Jew, so that I shall gain Jews; to the (ones), who are under the (stickler legalism) Torah, as under the (stickler legalism) Torah, not being myself under the (stickler legalism) Torah, so that I shall gain the (ones), who are under the (stickler legalism) Torah;

²¹to the (ones), who are without a Torah, as without a Torah, yet not being as without a Torah before Hashem, but in the Torah of the Moshiach (Acts 21:20), so that I shall gain the (ones), who are without a Torah.

²²I am become to the (ones) weak a weak one, so that I shall gain the weak; I am become all things to (to) all men, so that by all means shall I save some.

²³and all do I on account of/because of the good News, so that I shall have a share in you (PL).

²⁴(question) know you (PL) then not, that the (ones), who run in the arena, run really all, one however reaches the prize? so shall you (PL) run, so that you (PL) shall it received.

²⁵and every boxer controls himself in everything. and they (do it) so that they should received a perishable crown; we however an imperishable.

²⁶therefore run I so, not as in the darkness; thus box I, not as one, who strikes the air;

²⁷but I suppress my body and keep it in slavery, so that while I have preached to others, shall I myself not rejected to be.