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]

Bin ich nicht frei? Bin ich denn nicht Apostel? Habe ich nicht unseren Herrn Jesus gesehen? Seid denn nicht ihr mein Werk im Herrn?

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.

Wenn ich für andere nicht Apostel bin, so bin ich es doch mindestens für euch. Ihr seid das Siegel meines Amtes als Apostel im Herrn.

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].

Meine Antwort meinen Tadlern gegenüber lautet so:

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]

Haben wir denn nicht das Recht, zu essen und zu trinken?

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]

Haben wir nicht das Recht, eine Schwester als Frau mitzunehmen wie die anderen Apostel, die Brüder des Herrn und selbst Kephas?

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]]

Oder haben ich und Barnabas allein kein Recht, die Handarbeit ganz aufzugeben?

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].

Wer leistet denn Kriegsdienst auf eigene Kosten? Wer pflanzte einen Weinberg und wollte nicht von seinem Ertrag essen? Oder wer weidet eine Herde und genießt nicht von der Milch der Herde?

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].

Ist es nur Menschenmeinung, was ich da behaupte, oder lehrt denn das Gesetz nichts hierüber?

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]

Im Gesetze Moses heißt es: "Du sollst dem Ochsen beim Dreschen das Maul nicht verbinden". Kümmert denn Gott sich um Ochsen?

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].

Oder sagt er das nicht gerade unsererwegen? Ja, unseretwegen ward es aufgeschrieben: Der Pflügende muß auf Hoffnung pflügen und in der Hoffnung auf den Anteil auch der Drescher seine Arbeit tun.

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]

Wenn wir bei euch nun Geistiges gesät haben, ist es dann etwas Besonderes, wenn wir bei euch Irdisches ernten?

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.

Wenn anderen schon ein Recht auf euch zusteht, so doch ganz sicher uns noch mehr. Doch machen wir von diesem Rechte nicht einmal Gebrauch; wir nehmen vielmehr alles ganz auf uns, um dem Evangelium Christi ja kein Hindernis zu bereiten.

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.

Wißt ihr denn nicht, daß, wer den heiligen Dienst verrichtet, auch vom Heiligtum essen darf? Daß, wer an dem Altare dient, auch am Altar Anteil haben darf?

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.

So hat es auch der Herr geboten, daß, wer das Evangelium verkündet, vom Evangelium auch leben soll.

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].

Von keinem dieser Rechte habe ich indes Gebrauch gemacht. Ich schreibe dies nun nicht, damit es in Zukunft so mit mir gehalten werde; nein, lieber sterben, als... Meinen Ruhm soll mir keiner schmälern!

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.

Wenn ich das Evangelium nur verkünde, ist dies kein Ruhm für mich; es liegt dies ja als Muß auf mir. Weh mir, wenn ich das Evangelium nicht verkünden wollte.

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.

Tu ich es aber aus freiem Willen, dann habe ich ein Verdienst; wenn unfreiwillig, dann bin ich eben nur mit der Verwaltung eines Amtes betraut.

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.

Wovon hängt mein Verdienst ab? Davon, daß ich das Evangelium ohne Unterhaltsanspruch verkünde, so daß ich von meinem Anspruch an das Evangelium keinen Gebrauch mache.

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].

Obwohl in jeder Hinsicht frei, machte ich mich doch zum Sklaven aller, um so recht viele zu gewinnen.

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].

Den Juden ward ich wie ein Jude, um so die Juden zu gewinnen; für die, die unter dem Gesetze stehen, ward ich wie einer, der selber unter dem Gesetze steht, obwohl ich selbst nicht unter dem Gesetze stehe, um so die zu gewinnen, die unter dem Gesetze stehen.

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.

Für die, die vom Gesetze frei sind, ward ich wie einer, der vom Gesetze frei ist - natürlich nicht frei vom Gesetze Gottes, vielmehr an das Gesetz Christi gebunden -, um so die zu gewinnen, die nicht unter dem Gesetze stehen.

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].

Den Schwachen ward ich schwach, um die Schwachen zu gewinnen: So ward ich allen alles, um überhaupt nur einige zu retten.

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].

Das alles aber tue ich des Evangeliums wegen, um teil daran zu haben.

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].

Wißt ihr denn wirklich nicht, daß zwar alle Wettläufer in der Rennbahn laufen, jedoch nur ein einziger den Siegespreis erhält? Lauft so, daß ihr ihn erhaltet.

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].

Jeder Kämpfer ist in allem enthaltsam, jene, um einen vergänglichen Kranz zu erhalten, wir aber einen unvergänglichen.

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.

Ich laufe also, aber nicht ins Ungewisse; ich führe Fausthiebe, jedoch nicht in die Luft,

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.

sondern ich züchtige meinen Leib und unterwerfe ihn, damit ich nicht selbst einst unbewährt erfunden werde, nachdem ich anderen gepredigt habe.