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

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

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

⁷ 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)

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

⁹ 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.

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,

⁸ 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.