1 Corinto 9

1 Dili ba ako gawasnon? Dili ba ako apostol? Wala ko ba nakita si Jesus nga atong Ginoo? Dili ba kamo akong isig ka magbubuhat diha sa Ginoo?

I am certainly free [to do all the things that God allows me to do.] [RHQ] I am an apostle. [RHQ] [You] certainly [know that] I have seen Jesus our Lord. [RHQ] It is a result of my work that you [have believed in] the Lord [Jesus]. [RHQ]

2 Kung dili ako apostol ngadto sa uban, apan unta ako diha kaninyo. Kay kamo ang pamatuod sa akong pagkaapostol diha sa Ginoo.

And even though other people may think that I am not an apostle, you certainly should know that I am an apostle. [Remember that] your having become Christians [MET] [as a result of my telling you about] the Lord (confirms/shows that it is true) that I am an apostle.

3 Mao kini ang akong panalipod niadtong nagsuta kanako:

In order to defend myself, this [is what I say] to those who criticize me [by claiming that I do not act like an apostle].

4 Wala ba kami katungod sa pagkaon ug pag-inom?

As for Barnabas and me, we certainly have the right [as apostles] to receive [from you and other congregations] food and drink [for our work]. [RHQ]

5 Wala ba kami katungod sa pagkuha ug among makauban nga usa ka asawa nga usa ka magtutuo, sama sa gibuhat sa nahibiling mga apostoles, ug sa mga kaigsoonan diha sa Ginoo, ug kang Cepas?

[We have the] same right [that] the other apostles and the Lord Jesus’ [younger] brothers and [especially] Peter have. They all take along a wife who is a believer [when they travel various places in order to tell people about Christ. And they have a right that the people whom they work among will support their wives, too]. So Barnabas and I certainly have those same rights. [RHQ]

6 O si Barnabas lamang ba ug ako ang kinahanglan mamuhat?

It would be ridiculous to think that Barnabas and I are the only apostles who must work to earn money to pay our expenses [while we are doing God’s work! [RHQ]]

7 Kinsa ang nag-alagad nga sundalo sa iyang kaugalingong paggasto? Kinsa ang nagtanom ug usa ka parasan ug dili mokaon sa bunga niini? O kinsa ang nag-atiman sa usa ka panon sa hayop ug dili moinom sa gatas gikan niini?

Soldiers certainly do not pay their own wages. [RHQ] Those who plant a vineyard would certainly eat some of the grapes [when they become ripe]. [RHQ] Those who care for sheep would certainly drink the milk from those sheep. [RHQ] [Similarly, those who tell others about Christ certainly have a right to receive] ([financial help/food]) [from the people to whom they preach].

8 Gisulti ko ba kining mga butanga pinasikad sa tawhanong katungod? Dili ba ang balaod nagsulti man usab niini?

I am saying that, not only because people think that it is right. [RHQ] [No], I am [RHQ] saying it because it is what [God said] in the laws [that he gave to Moses].

9 Kay kini nahisulat diha sa balaod ni Moises, “Ayaw pagbutang ug busal sa baka sa dihang kini nagagiok sa lugas.” Tinuod ba gayod nga ang baka ang gitagad sa Dios?

Moses wrote in one of those laws, “While an ox is threshing [grain], you must not tie its mouth shut [so that it cannot eat the grain].” (God was not only concerned about oxen [when he gave that law]./Was God [only] concerned about oxen [when he gave that law]?) [RHQ]

10 Dili ba siya naghisgot mahitungod kanato? Kini nahisulat alang kanato, tungod kay ang usa nga nagdaro kinahanglang magdaro sa paglaom, ug ang usa nga naggiok kinahanglang maggiok diha sa pagdahom sa pag-ambit sa ani.

[No], he was [RHQ] concerned about us, also! Yes, [God caused Moses to] write those words [because he is concerned] about us! Those who plow the ground confidently expect [to eat some of] the crop [that grows]. Those who thresh grain confidently expect [to eat some of the grain that they thresh. Similarly, we who proclaim the message about Christ have the right to confidently expect to receive financial help for our work].

11 Kung kami mitanom ug espirituhanong mga butang taliwala kaninyo, sobra na ba kaayo kini alang kanamo ang pag-ani sa materyal nga mga butang gikan kaninyo?

And because we have proclaimed God’s message to you, we certainly have the right to receive from you the things that we need for our bodies [MET]! [MET, RHQ]

12 Kung ang uban nagbuhat niini nga katungod gikan kaninyo, dili ba mas labaw na kami? Bisan pa man niana, wala kami nag-angkon niini nga katungod. Hinuon, gilahutay namo ang tanan kaysa mahimong usa ka babag sa ebanghelyo ni Cristo.

Since other people [who preached to you] had that right, certainly Barnabas and I have the same right. [RHQ] However, neither of us insisted [that you give us the things that] we have a right [to receive from you]. Instead, we were willing to endure anything in order that we not hinder [anyone from believing] the message about Christ.

13 Wala ba kamo nasayod nga kadtong nag-alagad sa templo nagkuha sa ilang pagkaon gikan sa templo? Wala ba kamo nasayod nga kadtong nag-alagad sa halaran nag-ambit kung unsa ang gihalad diha sa halaran?

You should keep in mind that [the priests and servants] in the Temple eat [some of the food that people bring to] the Temple. [RHQ] Specifically, the priests who work at the altar eat some of [the food that the people bring to sacrifice on] the altar.

14 Sa samang paagi, ang Ginoo nagmando nga kadtong nagsangyaw sa ebanghelyo kinahanglang mokuha sa ilang panginabuhi gikan sa ebanghelyo.

So the Lord has commanded that those who proclaim the good message [about him] should receive from [those who hear that] message what they need to live on.

15 Apan wala ako miangkon sa bisan unsa niining mga katungod. Ug wala ako nagsulat niini aron adunay mga butang nga mahitabo alang kanako. Palabihon ko pa nga mamatay kaysa bisan kinsa nga mohikaw kanako niining panghinambog.

However, I have not requested that you [give me] those things that I have a right [to receive from you]. Furthermore, I am writing this to you, not in order to request you to begin [giving me financial help now]. I would rather die than to [receive help from you]. I do not want anyone to prevent me from boasting [about my proclaiming God’s message to you without receiving financial help from you].

16 Kay kung ako nagsangyaw sa ebanghelyo, ako walay rason sa paghinambog, tungod kay kinahanglan ko kining buhaton. Ug kaalaotan ang mamahimo kanako kung dili nako isangyaw ang ebanghelyo!

When I proclaim the message about Christ, I cannot boast [about doing it], because [Christ] has commanded me [to do it]. I would be very miserable (OR, [I am afraid that] God would punish me) if I did not proclaim that message.

17 Kay kung buhaton ko kini sa kinabubut-on, ako adunay ganti. Apan kung dili kinabubut-on, sa gihapon ako adunay usa ka kaakohan nga gipiyal kanako.

If I had decided by myself to proclaim it, [God] would reward me. But I did not decide by myself to do that. I am simply doing the work that [God] entrusted to me.

18 Unsa unya ang akong ganti? Nga sa dihang ako nagsangyaw, maitanyag ko ang ebanghelyo sa walay bayad ug aron dili paggamit sa tibuok nakong katungod diha sa ebanghelyo.

So perhaps you wonder what my reward is. [RHQ] [I will tell you]. When I proclaim the good message [about Christ], I do not ask people for financial help. It [makes me very happy not to ask for help, and being happy is the] reward I get. I do not want to use the rights that I have [when I proclaim] the gospel.

19 Kay bisan tuod ako gawasnon gikan sa tanan, ako nahimong sulugoon sa tanan, aron nga ako mahimong makadala sa daghan.

I am not obligated to do what anyone else thinks that I should do. Nevertheless, when I have been with any group of people, I have made myself [do what they believed that I should do, just like a slave does what his master wants him to do]. I have done that in order that I might convince more people [to trust in Christ].

20 Ngadto sa mga Judio ako nagpakasama sa usa ka Judio, aron sa pagdala sa mga Judio. Niadtong nailalom sa balaod, nahimo ako nga sama sa usa nga nailalom sa balaod aron sa pagdala niadtong nailalom sa balaod. Gihimo ko kini bisan nga ang akong kaugalingon wala nailalom sa balaod.

Specifically, when I was with fellow Jews, I did the things that Jews [think that people should do]. I did that in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. Although I am now not obligated to obey the Jewish laws and rituals, when I was with those who believe that they are obligated to obey those laws, I did the things that they [think that people should do]. I did that in order to convince some of them [to trust in Christ].

21 Niadtong gawas sa balaod, nahimo ako nga sama sa usa nga gawas sa balaod, bisan nga ako sa akong kaugalingon dili gawas sa balaod sa Dios, apan ilalom sa balaod ni Cristo. Gihimo ko kini aron nga mahimo kong madala kadtong gawas sa balaod.

When I was with (non-Jews/those who do not know those laws), I did the things that non-Jews [think that people should do], in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. I do not mean that I disobey God’s laws. No, I obey the things that Christ commanded us to do.

22 Ngadto sa mga huyang ako nahimong huyang, aron nga mahimo nakong madala ang huyang. Ako nakahimo sa tanang butang ngadto sa tanang mga tawo, aron nga mahimo nako ang tanang paagi nga maluwas ang pipila.

When I was with those who doubt [whether God will permit them to do certain things that others] ([disapprove of/think it is not right to do]), I [avoided doing those things], in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. In summary, I have done all the things [that the people I have been with think that others should do], in order that by every possible means I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ].

23 Nagbuhat ako sa tanang butang alang sa ebanghelyo, aron nga ako makaambit sa mga panalangin niini.

I do all these things in order that [more people will believe] the message about Christ, and in order that I, along with other believers, may receive the good things [that God promises to give us].

24 Wala ba kamo masayod nga sa usa ka lumba ang tanan nga mga magdadagan modagan sa lumba, apan usa lamang ang makadawat sa ganti? Busa dagan aron makadaog sa ganti.

When people run in a race, they all run, but only one of them wins the race and as a result gets a prize. You certainly know that [RHQ]. So, [just like] runners [exert themselves fully to win a race] [MET], [you should exert yourselves fully to do the things that God wants you to do], in order that you may receive the reward [that God wants to give you].

25 Ang usa ka magdudula adunay pagpugong sa kaugalingon sa tanan niyang pagbansay. Sila nagbuhat niini aron madawat ang purong-purong nga mahanaw, apan modagan kita aron nga atong madawat ang usa ka dili madunot nga purong-purong.

All athletes exercise their bodies strenuously in many ways. They do that in order to receive a wreath [as a reward to wear on their heads]. Those wreaths fade, but we will receive a reward that will last forever [LIT].

26 Busa wala ako midagan nga walay katuyoan o nagsumbag sa hangin.

For that reason, I [try hard to please God] [MET], [like a] runner who runs toward the goal [LIT]. I [try hard to accomplish what God wants me to accomplish, like] a boxer tries hard to hit his opponent, not to miss hitting him.

27 Apan gibuntog ko ang akong lawas ug gihimo kining usa ka ulipon, aron nga human ako makasangyaw sa uban, ang akong kaugalingon dili mahimong dili mahiapil.

I beat my body [to make it do what I want it to do] [MET], [as] slaves [obey their masters], in order that, after I have proclaimed [God’s message] to others, he will not [say that I do] not deserve to receive a reward.