Pavao se odriče svojih prava
1Nisam li ja slobodan? Nisam li apostol? Nisam li vidio našega Gospodina Isusa vlastitim očima? Niste li vi u Gospodinu zbog mojega truda? 2Ako me drugi i ne smatraju apostolom, vama to sigurno jesam jer ste vi živ dokaz za to.
3To je odgovor onima koji osporavaju moje apostolstvo. 4Nemamo li pravo jesti za vašim stolom? 5Nemamo li pravo dovesti sa sobom ženu kršćanku,9:5 U grčkome: sestru. kao što čine i drugi učenici, Gospodinova braća i Petar?9:5 U grčkome: Kefa. 6Ili se samo Barnaba i ja moramo uzdržavati vlastitim radom? 7Koji to vojnik vojuje o svojemu trošku? Tko sadi vinograd a da ne smije jesti njegova roda? Koji to pastir napasa stado a da ne smije piti mlijeka? 8Ne govorim vam to samo po ljudsku, nego tako kaže i Božji zakon. 9Jer u Mojsijevu zakonu piše: “Ne zavezuj usta volu koji vrši žito.”9:9 Ponovljeni zakon 25:4. Mislite li da je Bog to rekao samo za volove? 10Nije li to rekao i za nas? Naravno da jest. Kao što žeteoci i vršioci rade u nadi da će imati udjela u žetvi, tako i duhovne radnike trebaju namiriti oni kojima služe.
11Zar je previše da mi, koji smo u vas sijali duhovna dobra, očekujemo požeti vaša tjelesna dobra? 12Ako drugi na to imaju pravo, nemamo li mi i veće pravo? Ipak, nismo se njime koristili, nego sve podnosimo da ne postavimo kakvu zapreku Kristovoj Radosnoj vijesti.
13Ne znate li da oni koji rade u Hramu dobiju od hrane koju ljudi donose u svetište i da oni koji služe pri žrtveniku dobiju dio žrtvenih prinosa? 14Jednako je tako Gospodin naredio da oni koji navješćuju Radosnu vijest od nje i žive. 15Ali ja se nikad nisam koristio tim pravom. I ne pišem vam to zato da bih to od sada činio. Radije bih umro nego se odrekao te odlike da propovijedam bez naplate. 16Propovijedanjem Radosne vijesti ne mogu se hvaliti jer mi je to dužnost. Teško meni ako ju ne propovijedam!
17Da to činim iz vlastite pobude, imao bih pravo na plaću. Ali ja samo vršim službu koju mi je Bog povjerio. 18Što mi je dakle plaća? Zadovoljstvo da propovijedam Radosnu vijest besplatno ne iskorišćujući svoje propovjedničko pravo.
19Iako sam slobodan i ne pripadam nikome, ipak sam svima postao robom, samo da ih što više pridobijem za Krista. 20Kad sam bio sa Židovima, bio sam Židov da ih mogu dovesti Kristu. Kad sam bio s onima koji se drže Zakona, i ja sam to činio, iako nisam vezan Zakonom, da ih mogu dovesti Kristu. 21Kad sam bio s poganima koji nemaju Zakona, bio sam poput njih koliko sam god mogao. Tako sam stekao njihovo povjerenje i mogao ih dovesti Kristu, ali nisam zanemario Božji zakon, nego sam bio poslušan Kristovu zakonu.
22S nejakima sam bio nejak da ih pridobijem za Krista. Svima njima bio sam sve ne bih li neke spasio. 23A sve to činim zbog Radosne vijesti, da i ja budem njezinim dionikom.
24Ne znate li da u trci svi trkači trče, a samo jedan osvoji prvu nagradu? I vi trčite tako da ju osvojite. 25Svaki natjecatelj živi suzdržljivo. Oni to čine da dobiju vijenac koji će istrunuti, a mi da dobijemo nagradu koja će vječno trajati. 26Trčim zato, ali uvijek prema cilju, a ne besciljno i uzaludno poput nekoga tko šakom udara vjetar. 27Stegom morim svoje tijelo i tjeram ga poput roba da ne bih, pošto sam drugima propovijedao, sam bio odbačen.
1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, 4Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? 7Who 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? 8Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 15But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
