A common misinterpretation views this verse as a universal mandate prohibiting Christian ministers from ever accepting financial support from those they serve, ignoring Paul's acceptance of aid from Macedonia and his instructions elsewhere allowing for ministerial support; others might see Paul as pridefully boasting about self-sufficiency, missing the defensive context against false apostles who demanded payment, or wrongly assume the Corinthians failed to support him out of stinginess rather than Paul's deliberate choice to protect their relationship.
II Corinthians 11:9
King James Version (1769)
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
In this passage, Paul emphasizes his integrity as an apostle by recounting how, during his ministry in Corinth when he faced material needs, he refused to burden the local church financially, instead receiving support from Macedonian believers; this act underscores his selfless love for the Corinthians, his commitment to not exploiting them, and his determination to continue this pattern, thereby validating his genuine ministry against false teachers who profited from believers.