paying the pastor

¹⁷Let priests who lead well be held worthy of twice the honor, especially those who labor in the Word and in doctrine. ¹⁸For Scripture says: “You shall not muzzle an ox as it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his pay.”

⁶And let him who is being taught the Word discuss it with him who is teaching it to him, in every good way.

¹⁴So, too, has the Lord ordained that those who announce the Gospel should live by the Gospel.

⁹For it is written in the law of Moses: “You shall not bind the mouth of an ox, while it is treading out the grain.” Is God here concerned with the oxen? ¹⁰Or is he saying this, indeed, for our sake? These things were written specifically for us, because he who plows, ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes, too, in hope of receiving the produce. ¹¹If we have sown spiritual things in you, is it important if we harvest from your worldly things? ¹²If others are sharers in this authority over you, why are we not more entitled? And yet we have not used this authority. Instead, we bear all things, lest we give any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ. ¹³Do you not know that those who work in the holy place eat the things that are for the holy place, and that those who serve at the altar also share with the altar? ¹⁴So, too, has the Lord ordained that those who announce the Gospel should live by the Gospel.

³³I have coveted neither silver and gold, nor apparel, ³⁴as you yourselves know. For that which was needed by me and by those who are with me, these hands have provided. ³⁵I have revealed all things to you, because by laboring in this way, it is necessary to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking the things that are with them. For the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not choose to pass from house to house.

⁷For you yourselves know the manner in which you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you. ⁸Nor did we eat bread from anyone for free, but rather, we worked night and day, in hardship and weariness, so as not to be burdensome to you. ⁹It was not as if we had no authority, but this was so that we might present ourselves as an example to you, in order to imitate us. ¹⁰Then, too, while we were with you, we insisted on this to you: that if anyone was not willing to work, neither should he eat.

¹²And we ask you, brothers, to recognize those who labor among you, and who preside over you in the Lord, and who admonish you, ¹³so that you may consider them with an abundance of charity, for the sake of their work. Be at peace with them.

⁴You shall not muzzle an ox as it is treading out your crops in the field.

⁴But for he who works, wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to debt.

¹⁶For you even sent to Thessalonica, once, and then a second time, for what was useful to me. ¹⁷It is not that I am seeking a gift. Instead, I seek the fruit that abounds to your benefit. ¹⁸But I have everything in abundance. I have been filled up, having received from Epaphroditus the things that you sent; this is an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹And may my God fulfill all your desires, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

¹⁸And what, then, would be my reward? So, when preaching the Gospel, I should give the Gospel without taking, so that I may not misuse my authority in the Gospel. ¹⁹For when I was a free man to all, I made myself the servant of all, so that I might gain all the more.

⁷Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you would be exalted? For I preached the Gospel of God to you freely. ⁸I have taken from other churches, receiving a stipend from them to the benefit of your ministry. ⁹And when I was with you and in need, I was burdensome to no one. For the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied whatever was lacking to me. And in all things, I have kept myself, and I will keep myself, from being burdensome to you.

⁸Cure the infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely. ⁹Do not choose to possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts, ¹⁰nor provisions for the journey, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor a staff. For the laborer deserves his portion.

⁸And the Lord said to Aaron: “Behold, I have given you custody of my first-fruits. Everything that is sanctified by the sons of Israel I have delivered to you and your sons, for the office of the priesthood, by everlasting ordinances. ⁹Therefore, you shall receive these, from the things that are sanctified and offered to the Lord. Every offering, and sacrifice, and whatever is repaid to me, on behalf of sin and also for offenses, and which becomes the Holy of holies, shall be for you and for your sons. ¹⁰You shall eat it in the Sanctuary. Only the males shall eat from it, because it has been consecrated for you. ¹¹But the first-fruits, which the sons of Israel shall vow and offer, I have given to you, and to your sons, as well as to your daughters, by a perpetual right. Whoever is clean in your house shall eat them. ¹²All the innermost of the oil, and of the wine, and of the grain, whatever first-fruits they offer to the Lord, I have given to you. ¹³All the first of the crops, which the soil produces and which are carried to the Lord, shall fall to your use. Whoever is clean in your house shall eat them.

¹⁷Let priests who lead well be held worthy of twice the honor, especially those who labor in the Word and in doctrine.

²⁴being content with the oblation of tithes, which I have separated for their uses and necessities.”

⁴³But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister; ⁴⁴and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all. ⁴⁵So, too, the Son of man has not come so that they would minister to him, but so that he would minister and would give his life as a redemption for many.”

³²Then the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things that he possessed were his own, but all things were common to them. ³³And with great power, the Apostles were rendering testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. And great grace was in them all. ³⁴And neither was anyone among them in need. For as many as were owners of fields or houses, selling these, were bringing the proceeds of the things that they were selling, ³⁵and were placing it before the feet of the Apostles. Then it was divided to each one, just as he had need.