Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.

自从我奉派作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉派作犹大地省长的那日，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉派作犹大地省长的那日，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

从亚达薛西王二十年至三十二年，也就是我奉派为犹大省长的十二年间，我和我的弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉命在犹大地作他们省长的日子以来，就是从亚达薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年，我和我的兄弟都没有吃过省长的俸禄。

自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉派作猶大地省長的那日，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉派作猶大地省長的那日，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

從亞達薛西王二十年至三十二年，也就是我奉派為猶大省長的十二年間，我和我的弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉命在猶大地作他們省長的日子以來，就是從亞達薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年，我和我的兄弟都沒有吃過省長的俸祿。

自從我奉命作猶大地巡撫的日子以來、從亞達薛西王二十年到三十二年、共十二年、巡撫的俸祿、我和我同職弟兄都沒有喫過。

自我被立為猶大方伯、於亞達薛西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我與同宗、未食方伯之祿、

自亞達泄西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我為猶大方伯、不食祿、即吾宗人亦然。

自王命我為猶大地之方伯、從亞達薛西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我與同族未食方伯之祿、

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year— twelve years— neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

And that’s not all. I was appointed as governor of Judah in the 20th year that Artaxerxes was king of Persia. I remained in that position until his 32nd year. During those 12 years, I and my relatives didn’t eat the food that was provided for my table.

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah— from the twentieth year to the thirty second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes— neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.

Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah— from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years— I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah— from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years— I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king,[ that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

From the day that I was appointed governor in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes– twelve years in all– neither I nor my relatives ate the food allotted to the governor.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty- second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king,

nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a role model for you, so that you would follow our example.

And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I picked up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.

Do we not have a right to eat and drink?Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not consume some of the milk of the flock?I am not just asserting these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well?For it is written in the Law of Moses:“ You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He?Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops.If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.But I have used none of these things. And I have not written these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than that. No one shall make my boast an empty one!

What, then, is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.Pay to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom tax, or toll, and it will be detrimental to the revenue of the kings.Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s shame, for this reason we have sent word and informed the king,