1 Corinthians 3
1 My fellow believers, [when I was with you previously], I was not able to teach you as [I would teach people who are controlled by the Holy] Spirit {[whom the Holy] Spirit [controls]}. Instead, [I had to teach you as I would teach] people whom their self-directed nature controls. [I taught very simple concepts to you who had recently believed] in Christ, [as a parent would speak very simple words] to a baby.
Nga phono loong, sen loong ah mongrep mina likhiik ih re anno, Chiialaate mina damdi roongwaan lang likhiik ih sen damdi tami roongwaan tahang, Ngah sen damdi mongrep mina damdi likhiik ih waan tahang, tiimnge liidi sen loong ah Kristaan tuumaang di noodek laat anglan.
2 I did not [teach] you [things that were difficult for you to understand, just like a woman does not] give [her baby] solid food [that the baby cannot chew and digest]. [And just like a woman] ([gives her baby milk/breast-feeds her baby]), [I taught you simple spiritual concepts], because at that time you were not able to understand difficult things. And you are still not able to understand difficult concepts,
Sen loong ah banban latong thoidi, Ngah ih sen loong asuh phaksat echeh lah angthang ih nyupuuthi kottheng ih hoonta. Amadi tuk ih sen loong ah banban tah angkan,
3 because you are still controlled by your self-directed nature. Some of you are jealous and quarreling. (That shows that your self-directed nature is controlling you!/Does not that prove your self-directed nature is controlling you?) [RHQ] It shows that [you are acting like] unbelievers act.
tiimnge liidoh sen loong ah amadi uh mongrep mina likhiik ih songtong lan. Sen loong ah sen jaachi ni miksuk siikhaam mui ih leh rookmui elan, emah songtong anbah mongrep mina likhiik ih tatam angkan?
4 By some of you saying, “I am [loyal to] Paul,” and others saying, “I am [loyal to] Apollos,” (you show that [you are acting like] unbelievers./does not it show that [you are acting like] unbelievers?) [RHQ]
Sen loong dung dowa wasiit ih li andi, [Ngah ih Pool lih phanhang, ] eno rukho rah ih liiha, “Ngah ih Apollos lih phanhang”—sen loong ah mongrep mina likhiik tatam reeraang lan?
5 [So what you really ought to think about] Apollos and me [RHQ] is that we(dl) are merely men who serve God. As a result of our [telling you the message about Christ], you trusted in him. Both of us [(dl)] are merely doing the work that the Lord appointed us to do.
Eno Apollo ah o ah? Adoleh Pool ah o ah? Seng bah, sen suh hanpi lampo siitte Rangte laksuh bo ah. Seng ih bah Rangte ih mootkaat thuk tahe ah ba mokati;
6 I was [the first one who preached God’s message to you. I was like] [MET] someone who plants seeds. [Later], Apollos [taught you more of God’s message. That was like] [MET] someone who waters plants [after they start to grow]. But it is God who [enables people to grow spiritually, just like he is the one who] causes [plants] to grow.
Ngah ih bangphook ah kiitang, Apollo ih joong lokta, eno bangphook ah Rangte ih hakthukta.
7 So [the person who first preaches God’s message to people is not important, and the person who later teaches people more of God’s message is not important, just like] [MET] it is not the person who plants [the seeds] or the person who waters [the plants] who is important. Instead, it is God, who causes plants to grow [and who causes people to grow spiritually, who is important].
Amiisak di o ih kiita nyia o ih joong lok abah uh tiim tah angka. Hakthukte abah rakla.
8 The person [who first preaches God’s message to people and the one who later teaches them more of God’s message] [MET] both (are [trying to reach the] same [goal]/have the same [purpose]). And [God] will reward each of them according to how they served him.
Bangphook kiite nyia joong lokte o uh tadakka; nengnyi mokata thaang ah heh mamah ih mokata erah jun ih Rangte jiin nawa choh ah.
9 Remember that Apollos and I are both working together for God. [You do not belong to us]. Just like a field [belongs to its owner, not to those who work in it], you belong to God, [not to us who work for him]. 1 Corinthians 3:9b-15 Also, a house belongs to its owner. [It does not belong to the man who built it. Similarly, God is the one to whom you belong].
Seng loong abah Rangte mootkaat room mootkaatte bo ah, eno sen loong ah Rangte raangtaan ih heh phek. Sen loong ah Rangte nok uh ang e an.
10 [Just like] a skilled person puts a foundation in the ground [before he builds a house], as a result of God kindly helping me [MET], [I was the first one who declared the message about Christ to you. And, just like] others build a house on its foundation, there were [others who later taught you more about Christ]. But [just like each person who builds a house] must be careful about what materials he uses to build it [MET], each person [who teaches God’s truth must be careful about what he teaches].
Rangte ih kotahang heh lakkot ah maak angno, nok hoonte jatwah likhiik ih thonglong chaptang, eno wahoh ih erah khoh adi nok ah hoonha. Enoothong seng loong ah ih mamah ih hoontheng ah erah jat jaatjaat etheng.
11 Just like people can put in [only] one foundation [for a house] [MET], [there is only one message that we can give to people. That message is about] Jesus Christ.
Tiimnge liidi Rangte ih thonglong ah jenchap eta erah langla Jisu Kristo, thonglong ehoh takah miichapka.
12 Furthermore, people can build a house on its foundation [with materials that are valuable and do not burn easily, such as] gold, silver, and expensive jewels. Or they could build a house with [materials that are not valuable and that burn easily, such as] wood, hay, and straw.
Mararah ih erah thonglong ah chapsuh hun akom adoleh thaangchaan jaat jong maak ah; mararah ih bang maak ha adoleh naam adoleh chamhaang maak ah.
13 Later it will become clear/evident what kind of material they used to build the house. [Similarly, when people teach others God’s truth], it will later become clear [what kind of things they taught]. [God] will make that clear/evident at the time [when he judges us] [MTY].
Eno o mina mamah ih mokata erah Kristo Rangwuuja jat ih thuk ah. Tiimnge liidi erah rangwu saakaan ja danje ih adoh warep mootkaat pakna ah jatthuk ah; we ih erah ah thaaksook ano ami ah noisok ah.
14 When a fire [starts burning a house], it becomes clear whether the builders used [materials in their] work [that will burn, or materials that will not burn]. Similarly [MET], when God judges us, it will be clear whether we taught others things that were long-lasting and valuable or not. If [the materials that are used to] build a house [are materials that] do not burn, the builder will receive a reward [MET]. [Similarly, if we have taught others things that are valuable and long-lasting, God will give us a reward].
Marah noktheng ni hoonta, erah we ih dakkhaam abah ehoonte warah ih hethaang choh ah.
15 If [the things that we have taught] are not valuable and long-lasting [MET], [we will not get a reward]. We will be saved {[God] will save us} [from hell], but [that is all that we will get. We will be like a man who] escapes from a fire [without saving any of his possessions]. (questioned)
Enoothong sen lakmaak loong ah matkhaam e abah, sen ih mat haat ehu, enoothong an teewah ah, weelu nawa pui ah likhiik ih epui eh an.
16 You need to remember that God [is present among] you [(pl) as he was present in the] Temple [in Jerusalem]. [RHQ] God’s Spirit lives within you.
Sen ih jat ehan, sen loong ah Rangte nok eno Rangte Chiiala ah sen damdi tong hala!
17 So, [just like] God will destroy anyone who tries to destroy his Temple, [he will destroy anyone who destroys the unity of a congregation. He will do that] because [he has set] you, [his people, apart for himself, just like he set] his Temple [apart for himself].
O mina ih Rangte nok ah thet haat eh ah erah mina ah Rangte ih thet haat eh ah. Tiimnge liidi Rangte nok ah esa, eno senteewah ah heh nok.
18 Some among you think that you are wise because unbelievers thought you were wise previously. Stop deceiving yourselves. [If you really want to be wise, by accepting what God considers to be wise] you should [be willing to let unbelievers consider that you are] foolish [IRO]. (aiōn g165)
An teeteewah lamokwaan theng. Sen loong dung dowa o ih arah mongrep adi ngah jatwah ih mok samthun anbah, heh amiisak doh ejat angsuh heh nokbaang raang ang theng. (aiōn g165)
19 You should do that because things that unbelievers [consider to be] [IRO] wise, God considers to be foolish. [We can learn from] the Scriptures [what God says about] that: Those who think that they are [IRO] wise, he messes up their plans by the mistakes they make!
Tiimnge liidi arah mongrep mina ih ejat ngeh ih liiha ah Rangte miksok di thaangmuh. Rangteele ni liiha, [Rangte ih jatwah ah heh mongwah maakwah ah ih phoong ni pat thukla”;
20 And [we can learn from] these words of Scripture, The Lord considers as useless the thoughts of [humans who think that they are] [IRO] wise.
eno rangteele ehoh ni liiha, [Teesu ih jat eha jatwah tenthun ah thaangmuh.]
21 So, stop boasting about [how good one Christian leader is or how good another Christian leader is]. All [of us(exc) exist as leaders only to help] you!
Erah raangtaan ih, mina ih jen mokali asuh lakhuupook theng. Amiisak di jirep ah sen lakbui:
22 Specifically, do not boast about me, or about Apollos, or about Peter! Everything in the world exists to [benefit] you [believers]. Whether you live or whether you die, the things that are happening now or the things that will happen in the future, they are all to benefit you.
Pool angkoja, Apollo angkoja, arah mongrep angkoja, roidong nyia etek angkoja, adoleh amah dowa nyia liwang nawa angkoja—arah loong ah sen lakbui,
23 [You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
eno sen loong ah Kristo lakbui, Kristo ah Rangte lakbui.
