23. Hence arises another question; for peradventure one may say, “What then? did the other Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas, sin, in that they did not work? Or did they occasion an hindrance to the Gospel, because blessed Paul saith that he had not used this power on purpose that he might not cause any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ? For if they sinned because they wrought not, then had they not received power not to work, but to live instead by the Gospel. But if they had received this power, by ordinance of the Lord, that they which preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel; and by His saying, “The workman is worthy of his meat;” which power Paul, laying out somewhat more,79    Amplius aliquid erogans would not use; then truly they sinned not. If they sinned not, they caused no hindrance. For it is not to be thought no sin to hinder the Gospel.80    1 Cor. ix. 12 If this be so, “to us also,” say they, “it is free either to use or not to use this power.”

CAPUT XX.

23. Objectio, an caeteri Apostoli non laborantes ac de Evangelio viventes peccarint. Responsio. Praeceptum operandi eos spectare qui non evangelizant. Hinc exoritur altera quaestio: fortasse enim dicat, Quid ergo? caeteri Apostoli et fratres Domini et Cephas, quia non operabantur, peccabant? aut afferebant impedimentum Evangelio, quia dicit beatus Paulus, ideo se non usum hac potestate, ne quod impedimentum daret Evangelio Christi? Si enim peccaverunt, quia non operati sunt, non ergo acceperant potestatem non operandi, sed de Evangelio vivendi. Si autem acceperant hanc potestatem, ordinante Domino ut qui Evangelium annuntiarent, ex Evangelio viverent, et dicente, Dignus est operarius cibo suo (Matth. X, 10); qua potestate Paulus amplius aliquid erogans uti noluit: non utique peccaverunt. Si non peccaverunt, nullum impedimentum dederunt. Neque enim nullum peccatum est, impedire Evangelium. Quod si ita est, et nobis, inquiunt, liberum est, et uti et non uti hac potestate.