1 Korin 9
1 Kai loe patoeh ih kami ah ka om ai maw? Kai loe kaloih kami na ai maw? Aicae Angraeng Jesu Kri to ka hnu ai maw? Nangcae loe Angraeng ah tok ka sakhaih kami ah na om o ai maw?
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 Kai loe kalah kaminawk khaeah patoeh ih kami maeto ah ka om ai cadoeh, nangcae khaeah loe patoeh ih kami ah ni ka oh, tito palunghaeng han om ai; Angraeng ah, patoeh ih kami ah ka ohhaih catui daengkung loe nangcae ni.
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 Kai lokdueng kaminawk han pathim ih lok loe hae ni,
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 aicae loe caak naek thaihaih akaa a tawn o ai maw?
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 Angraeng ih nawkamyanawk baktih, Kipha baktih, kalah patoeh ih kaminawk baktih toengah, kaicae mah doeh tanghaih tawn nongpata maeto, zu ah lak moe, nawnto kholong ka caeh o haih thai mak ai maw?
[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 To tih ai boeh loe Kai hoi Barnaba loe toksah ai ah ka om hoi thai mak ai maw?
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 Angmah hoi angmah angcom hoiah misatuh kami oh vai maw? Takha sah misurthaih caa ai kami oh vai maw? To tih ai boeh loe tuu pacah tuu tahnutui nae ai kami oh vai maw?
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 Hae loknawk hae kami mah thuih rumram ih lok baktiah maw ka thuih? To tih ai boeh loe kaalok mah doeh to tiah thuih toeng na ai maw?
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 Mosi ih kaalok thungah loe, Cang atii maitaw tae ih tahmawh to moem pae hmah, tiah tarik ih oh. To lok loe Sithaw mah maitaw tae han khue maw thuih?
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 To tih ai boeh loe aicae han doeh a thuih maw? Palunghaeng han om ai, aicae hanah doeh a thuih: laikok atok kami mah loe oephaih hoiah atok han oh; oephaih hoiah cang atii kami loe a tawnh ih oephaih baktih toengah hak han oh, tiah tarik ih oh.
[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 Nangcae khaeah Muithla bang ih hmuennawk ka haeh o naah, nangcae ih long hmuennawk to ka aah o nahaeloe, kalen parai hmuen ah maw om tih?
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 Kalah kaminawk mah nangcae khae hoiah to baktih hmuen hakthaihaih akaa tawn o nahaeloe, kaicae taoe cae loe kawkruk maw hak aep han oh? Toe kaicae loe to baktih hmuen hakthaihaih akaa to ka patoh o ai; kahoih Kri tamthanglok pakaa ving han ai ah, hmuen boihah pauephaih hoiah ni ka oh o.
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 Ciimcai ahmuen ah toksah kaminawk loe, tempul ah sin ih hmuennawk to caa o tih, hmaicam ah toksah kaminawk doeh hmaicam ah sin ih hmuennawk to caa o tih, tito na panoek o ai maw?
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 To baktih toengah kahoih tamthanglok taphong kami loe, kahoih tamthanglok taphonghaih hoiah hing tih, Angraeng mah paek ih lok to oh.
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 Toe kai loe to baktih sakthaihaih akaa to ka patoh ai: ka nuiah to baktih hmuen sak hanah hae loknawk hae tarik ih na ai ni: kaminawk mah kam oekhaih azom ah ohsak pongah loe, ka duek to kai hanah hoih kue.
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 Kahoih tamthanglok ka thuih cadoeh, kai han amoekhaih tidoeh om ai: aloehaih ka nuiah amtik boeh pongah, ue, tamthanglok hoih ka thui ai nahaeloe, kai han khosak bing!
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 Hae tok hae koehhaih palungthin hoiah ka sak nahaeloe, kai han tangqum to oh: toe koehhaih palungthin hoiah ka thui ai cadoeh, a tok sakhaih loe kai khaeah ang paek boeh.
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 To tiah nahaeloe kai ih tangqum loe kawbangmaw oh? Kahoih tamthanglok ka thuih naah, azom ah ka thuih thai hanah, tamthanglok hoih ka thuih naah sakthaihaih akaa to ka patoh ai.
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 Kai loe mi kawbaktih ih misong ah doeh ka om ai, toe paroeai kaminawk to ka pazawk thai hanah, kami boih ih tamna ah ka oh.
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 Judahnawk ka pazawk thai hanah, Judahnawk khaeah loe Judah kami maeto baktiah ka oh, kaalok thungah kaom kaminawk khaeah loe, kaalok thungah kaom kaminawk to ka pazawk thai hanah, kaalok thungah kaom kami baktiah ka oh.
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 Kaalok tawn ai kaminawk to ka pazawk thai hanah, kaalok tawn ai kaminawk khaeah loe, kaalok tawn ai baktiah ka oh, (Sithaw ih kaalok pahnet ving boeh tih haih ih na ai ni, Kri ih kaalok thungah ni ka oh)
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 Thahnaem kaminawk ka pazawk thai hanah, thahnaem kaminawk khaeah loe, thahnaem kami baktiah ka oh: kawbangah doeh thoemto kaminawk ka pahlong thai hanah, kaminawk boih khaeah angmacae khosakhaih dan baktih toengah ka oh pae.
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 Kahoih tamthanglok ah nangcae hoi nawnto athum kami ah ka oh thai toeng hanah, to tiah tok ka sak.
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 Cawnh angnoek kaminawk loe nawnto a cawn o boih, toe kami maeto mah ni tangqum to hnuk, tito na panoek o ai maw? To pongah nangcae loe tangqum hnuk thai hanah cawn oh.
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 Cawnh angnoek naah athum kaminawk loe hmuennawk boih angsum hanah tha pathok o; nihcae loe kahmawn thaih lumuek hnuk han ih tok a sak o; toe aicae loe kahmawn thai ai lumuek hnuk han ih ni tok a sak o.
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 To pongah kai loe ka cawnh naah, patoephaih tawn ai kami baktiah ka cawn ai; ka thong naah doeh, takhi thong rumram kami baktiah ka thong ai.
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 Toe ka takpum thuitaekhaih to ka tawnh moe, kaimah ukhaih thungah ka suek: to tih ai nahaeloe minawk khaeah lok ka thuih naah, kaimah hae tangqum ka sung lat moeng tih.
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.
