1 Corinthians 9
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the results of my work in the Lord?
Non sum liber? Non sum Apostolus? Nonne Christum Iesum Dominum nostrum vidi? Nonne opus meum vos estis in Domino?
2 Even if I'm not an apostle to others, at least I am one to you. The proof of my being an apostle of the Lord is you!
Et si aliis non sum Apostolus, sed tamen vobis sum: nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino.
3 Here is my reply to those who question me about this:
Mea defensio apud eos, qui me interrogant, hæc est:
4 Don't we have the right to be provided with food and drink?
Numquid non habemus potestatem manducandi, et bibendi?
5 Don't we have a right to be accompanied by a Christian wife, like the rest of the apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Peter?
Numquid non habemus potestatem mulierem sororem circumducendi sicut et ceteri Apostoli, et fratres Domini, et Cephas?
6 Is it only Barnabas and myself who have to work to support ourselves?
Aut ego solus, et Barnabas, non habemus potestatem hoc operandi?
7 Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?
Quis militat suis stipendiis umquam? Quis plantat vineam, et de fructu eius non edit? Quis pascit gregem, et de lacte gregis non manducat?
8 Am I just speaking from a human point of view? Doesn't the law say the same thing?
Numquid secundum hominem hæc dico? An et lex hæc non dicit?
9 In the law of Moses it's written, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Was God just thinking about oxen?
Scriptum est enim in lege Moysi: Non alligabis os bovi trituranti. Numquid de bobus cura est Deo?
10 Wasn't he directing this at us? Surely this was written for us—for anyone who plows should plow in hope and anyone who threshes should hope to share in the harvest.
An propter nos utique hoc dicit? Nam propter nos scripta sunt, quoniam debet in spe qui arat, arare: et qui triturat, in spe fructus percipiendi.
11 If we sowed what is spiritual with you, does it really matter if we reap some material benefit?
Si nos vobis spiritualia seminavimus, magnum est si nos carnalia vestra metamus?
12 If others exercise this right over you, don't we deserve it even more? Even so we did not exercise this right. On the contrary we would rather put up with anything than hold back the gospel of Christ.
Si alii potestatis vestræ participes sunt, quare non potius nos? Sed non usi sumus hac potestate: sed omnia sustinemus, ne quod offendiculum demus Evangelio Christi.
13 Don't you know that those who work in temples receive their meals from temple offerings, and those that serve at the altar receive their portion of the sacrifice on the altar?
Nescitis quoniam qui in sacrario operantur, quæ de sacrario sunt, edunt: et qui altari deserviunt, cum altari participant?
14 In just the same way the Lord ordered that those who announce the good news should live from supporters of the good news.
Ita et Dominus ordinavit iis, qui Evangelium annunciant, de Evangelio vivere.
15 But I have not made use of any of these provisions, and I'm not writing about this to suggest it should be done in my case. I'd rather die than to have anyone take away my pride in not having received any benefit.
Ego autem nullo horum usus sum. Non autem scripsi hæc ut ita fiant in me: bonum est enim mihi magis mori, quam ut gloriam meam quis evacuet.
16 I have nothing to boast about in sharing the good news because it's something I feel compelled to do. In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news!
Nam si evangelizavero, non est mihi gloria: necessitas enim mihi incumbit: væ enim mihi est, si non evangelizavero.
17 If I'm doing this work because of my own choice, then I have a reward. But if it wasn't my choice, and an obligation was placed on me,
Si enim volens hoc ago, mercedem habeo: si autem invitus, dispensatio mihi credita est.
18 then what reward do I have? It's the opportunity to share the good news without charging for it, not demanding my rights as a worker for the good news.
Quæ est ergo merces mea? Ut Evangelium prædicans, sine sumptu ponam Evangelium, ut non abutar potestate mea in Evangelio.
19 Even though I am free and serve no one, I have placed myself in service to everyone so that I might gain more.
Nam cum liber essem ex omnibus, omnium me servum feci, ut plures lucrifacerem.
20 To the Jews I behave like a Jew so that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law I behave as someone under the law (even though I am not obligated under the law), so that I might win those under the law.
Et factus sum Iudæis tamquam Iudæus, ut Iudæos lucrarer.
21 To those who don't operate according to the law, I behave like them, (though not disregarding God's law, but operating under the law of Christ), so that I might gain those who don't observe the law.
Iis qui sub lege sunt, quasi sub lege essem (cum ipse non essem sub lege) ut eos, qui sub lege erant, lucrifacerem. Iis, qui sine lege erant, tamquam sine lege essem (cum sine lege Dei non essem: sed in lege essem Christi) ut lucrifacerem eos, qui sine lege erant.
22 To those who are weak, I share in their weakness so that I may win the weak. I have ended up being “everyman” to everyone so that by using every possible means I might win some!
Factus sum infirmis infirmus, ut infirmos lucrifacerem. Omnibus omnia factus sum, ut omnes facerem salvos.
23 I do all this for the sake of the good news so that I too may share in its blessings!
Omnia autem facio propter Evangelium: ut particeps eius efficiar.
24 Wouldn't you agree that there are many runners in a race, but only one gets the prize? So run your best, so you may win!
Nescitis quod ii, qui in stadio currunt, omnes quidem currunt, sed unus accipit bravium? Sic currite ut comprehendatis.
25 Every competitor who participates in the games maintains a strict training discipline. Of course they do so to win a crown that doesn't last. But our crowns will last forever!
Omnis autem, qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet: et illi quidem ut corruptibilem coronam accipiant: nos autem incorruptam.
26 That's why I run straight in the right direction. I fight accurately, not punching the air.
Ego igitur sic curro, non quasi in incertum: sic pugno, non quasi aerem verberans:
27 I also treat my body severely to bring it under my control, for I don't want somehow to be disqualified after sharing the good news with everybody else.
sed castigo corpus meum, et in servitutem redigo: ne forte cum aliis prædicaverim, ipse reprobus efficiar.
