“Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
“If for others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord
“both the plowman and the thresher should work in their respective roles with the hope to share in the same crop.
“If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon 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.
“Réjouis-Toi, Mère de la Vie et objet de ma prédication. Car, quoique je n’aie point vu le Christ corporellement, en te voyant, c’est Lui-même que je crois contempler.
“Je rends à mon Dieu de continuelles actions de grâces à votre sujet, pour la grâce de Dieu qui vous a été accordée en Jésus Christ.
“Que la grâce et la paix vous soient données de la part de Dieu notre Père et du Seigneur Jésus Christ !
“He is now to be among you at the calling of your heart. Rest assured this troubadour is acting on His part. The union of your spirits here has caused Him to remain for whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name, there is love, there is love.
