1 Corinthians 9

1 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]

Ne suis-je pas libre? Ne suis-je pas apôtre? N'ai-je pas vu Jésus, notre Seigneur? N'êtes-vous pas mon oeuvre dans le Seigneur?

2 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.

Si pour d'autres je ne suis pas apôtre, je le suis au moins pour vous; car vous êtes le sceau de mon apostolat dans le Seigneur.

3 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].

C'est là ma défense contre ceux qui m'accusent.

4 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]

N'avons-nous pas le droit de manger et de boire?

5 [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]

N'avons-nous pas le droit de conduire partout avec nous une soeur comme épouse, ainsi que le font les autres apôtres, et les frères du Seigneur, et Céphas?

6 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]]

Ou bien, est-ce que moi seul et Barnabas, nous n'avons pas le droit de ne point travailler?

7 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].

Qui donc va à la guerre à ses propres frais? Qui plante une vigne, sans en manger le fruit? Ou encore, qui fait paître un troupeau, sans se nourrir du lait de ce troupeau?

8 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].

Est-ce seulement d'après l'usage des hommes que je parle ainsi? La loi ne dit-elle pas la même chose?

9 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]

Car il est écrit dans la loi de Moïse: «Tu n'emmuselleras point le boeuf qui foule le grain.» Est-ce des boeufs que Dieu s'occupe?

10 [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].

N'est-ce pas, en réalité, pour nous qu'il dit cela? Oui, c'est pour nous qu'il est écrit que celui qui laboure, doit labourer avec espérance, et que celui qui foule le grain, doit le fouler dans l'espérance d'en avoir sa part.

11 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]

Nous avons semé pour vous les biens spirituels; serions-nous très exigeants, si nous voulions recueillir vos biens matériels?

12 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.

Si d'autres ont ce droit sur vous, ne l'avons-nous pas à plus forte raison? Cependant, nous n'avons pas usé de ce droit; mais nous supportons tout, afin de n'apporter aucun obstacle à l'Évangile du Christ.

13 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.

Ne savez-vous pas que ceux qui font le service sacré, mangent dans ce qui est offert dans le temple, et que ceux qui servent à l'autel, ont part à l'autel?

14 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.

De même, le Seigneur a ordonné que ceux qui annoncent l'Évangile vivent de l'Évangile.

15 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].

Pour moi, je n'ai usé d'aucun de ces droits, et je n'écris point cela pour les réclamer; car j'aimerais mieux mourir que de me laisser enlever ce sujet de gloire.

16 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.

Si j'annonce l'Évangile, je n'ai pas sujet de m'en glorifier, parce que la nécessité m'en est imposée; et malheur à moi si je n'annonce pas l'Évangile!

17 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.

Si je le fais de bon coeur, j'en ai la récompense; si je le fais contre mon gré, la charge ne m'en est pas moins confiée.

18 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.

Quelle est donc ma récompense? C'est, en annonçant l'Évangile, de l'offrir gratuitement, sans user des droits que j'ai comme prédicateur de l'Évangile.

19 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].

Libre, en effet, à l'égard de tous, je me suis assujetti à tous, afin d'en gagner un plus grand nombre.

20 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].

Avec les Juifs je me suis comporté comme un Juif, afin de gagner les Juifs; avec ceux qui sont sous la loi, comme si j'étais sous la loi, — bien que je ne sois plus moi-même sous la loi, — afin de gagner ceux qui sont sous la loi;

21 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.

avec ceux qui étaient sans loi, comme si j'eusse été sans loi, — bien que je ne sois pas sans loi à l'égard de Dieu, puisque je suis sous la loi de Christ, — afin de gagner ceux qui étaient sans loi.

22 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].

J'ai été faible avec les faibles, afin de gagner les faibles; je me suis fait tout à tous, afin d'en sauver à tout prix quelques-uns.

23 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].

Et tout ce que je fais, je le fais à cause de l'Évangile, afin d'y avoir part, moi aussi.

24 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].

Ne savez-vous pas que, dans les courses du stade, tous courent, mais qu'un seul remporte le prix? Courez donc de manière à le, remporter.

25 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].

Tous ceux qui combattent, s'imposent toutes sortes d'abstinences; et ils le font pour une couronne corruptible. Mais nous, nous le faisons pour une couronne incorruptible.

26 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.

Ainsi donc, je cours, et ce n'est pas à l'aventure; je frappe, et ce n'est pas en l'air;

27 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.

mais je traite durement mon corps, et je le tiens assujetti, de peur qu'après avoir prêché aux autres, je ne sois moi-même rejeté.