²² They were astonished^(A) at his teaching^(B) because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

¹⁴ And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”^(A)

A Christian’s Duties to the State

13 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities,^(A) since there is no authority except from God,^(B) and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.

⁴ Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?^{(A) 5} Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife^[a] like the other apostles,^(B) the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?^{(C) 6} Or do only Barnabas^(D) and I have no right to refrain from working? ⁷ Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?^(E) Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

⁸ Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox^(F) while it treads out grain.^[b](G) Is God really concerned about oxen? ¹⁰ Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake,^(H) because he who plows ought to plow in hope,^(I) and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.^{(J) 11} If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything^(K) so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar^(L) share in the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.^(M)