34 You yourselves know that (A)these hands ministered to my own needs and to the (B)men who were with me.

Read full chapter

34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(A)

Read full chapter

12 and we toil, (A)working with our own hands; when we are (B)reviled, we bless; when we are (C)persecuted, we endure;

Read full chapter

12 We work hard with our own hands.(A) When we are cursed, we bless;(B) when we are persecuted,(C) we endure it;

Read full chapter

14 So also (A)the Lord directed those who proclaim the (B)gospel to (C)get their living from the gospel.

15 But I have (D)used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make (E)my boast an empty one. 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for (F)I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach (G)the gospel. 17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a (H)reward; but if against my will, I have a (I)stewardship entrusted to me. 18 What then is my (J)reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel (K)without charge, so as (L)not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am (M)free from all men, I have made myself (N)a slave to all, so that I may (O)win more. 20 (P)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under [a]the Law, as under [b]the Law though (Q)not being myself under [c]the Law, so that I might win those who are under [d]the Law; 21 to those who are (R)without law, (S)as without law, though not being without the law of God but (T)under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the (U)weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become (V)all things to all men, (W)so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

24 (X)Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives (Y)the prize? (Z)Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who (AA)competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable (AB)wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I (AC)run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not (AD)beating the air; 27 but I [e]discipline (AE)my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Read full chapter

14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.(A)

15 But I have not used any of these rights.(B) And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.(C) 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.(D) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(E) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(F) 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(G) and so not make full use of my rights(H) as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free(I) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(J) to win as many as possible.(K) 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.(L) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),(M) so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law(N) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),(O) so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.(P) I have become all things to all people(Q) so that by all possible means I might save some.(R) 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?(S) Run(T) in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown(U) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(V) 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;(W) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.(X) 27 No, I strike a blow to my body(Y) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(Z)

Read full chapter

Or (A)did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the (B)gospel of God to you (C)without charge?

Read full chapter

Was it a sin(A) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(B) to you free of charge?(C)

Read full chapter

13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that (A)I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me (B)this wrong!

Read full chapter

13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?(A) Forgive me this wrong!(B)

Read full chapter

For you recall, brethren, our (A)labor and hardship, how (B)working night and day so as not to be a (C)burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the (D)gospel of God.

Read full chapter

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked(A) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone(B) while we preached the gospel of God to you.

Read full chapter

11 and to make it your ambition (A)to lead a quiet life and (B)attend to your own business and (C)work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

Read full chapter

11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,(A) just as we told you,

Read full chapter

nor did we (A)eat [a]anyone’s bread [b]without paying for it, but with (B)labor and hardship we kept (C)working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit from anyone
  2. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit freely

nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(A) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

Read full chapter