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]
Abụghị m onye nwe onwe ya? Abụghị m onyeozi Kraịst? Ọ bụ na m ahụghị Jisọs Onyenwe anyị? Unu abụghị ihe ngosipụta ọrụ m rụrụ nʼime Onyenwe anyị?
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.
Ọ bụrụ na m abụghị onyeozi nʼebe ndị ọzọ nọ, nʼebe unu nọ, abụ m onyeozi nʼeziokwu nʼihi na unu bụ akara nke ọrụ onyeozi m nʼime Onyenwe anyị.
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].
Ihe ngọpụ m nye ndị ahụ na-enyocha m bụ nke a.
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]
Ọ bụ na anyị enweghị ike iri ihe oriri na ịṅụ ihe ọṅụṅụ?
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]
Ọ bụ na anyị enweghị ike iduru nwunye onye bụ onye kwere ekwe gaa ebe ọbụla anyị na-aga dịka ndị ozi ọzọ na-eme, na dịka ụmụnne Onyenwe anyị na Sefas na-emekwa?
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]]
Ọ ga-abụ naanị mụ na Banabas bụ ndị na-enweghị ike ịhapụ ịrụ ọrụ maka ihe anyị ga na-eri?
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].
Olee onye agha unu maara nke na-esi nʼakpa ya akwụ onwe ya ụgwọ ọnwa? Ka ọ dị onye ọrụ ubi vaịnị unu maara nke na-adịghị eri mkpụrụ e si nʼubi ahụ weta? Olee onye ọzụzụ atụrụ unu maara nke na-adịghị aṅụ mmiri ara e si nʼigwe atụrụ ọ na-azụ apịpụta?
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].
Anaghị m ekwu ihe a nʼihi na ha bụ ihe na-eme ụbọchị niile nʼetiti ndị mmadụ? Akwụkwọ iwu, o kwukwaghị otu ihe ahụ?
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]
Nʼihi na e dere ya nʼiwu nke Mosis, “Ekechila ọnụ ehi mgbe ọ na-azọcha mkpụrụ ọka.” Unu chere na ọ bụ naanị ehi ka Chineke bu nʼobi kwuo okwu a?
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].
E, nʼihi anyị ka eji dee ya nʼakwụkwọ. Nʼezie, e dere ihe ndị a nʼihi anyị, nʼihi na onye rụrụ ọrụ nʼubi na onye na-azọcha mkpụrụ dị nʼubi ahụ, na-eme nke a nʼolileanya na o kwesiri iketa oke site na mkpụrụ e si nʼubi ahụ weta.
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]
Mkpụrụ anyị kụrụ nʼime obi unu bụ mkpụrụ nke mmụọ. Ọ ga-abụ ihe ọjọọ ma anyị sị unu nyetụ anyị ụfọdụ nʼime akụnụba unu?
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.
Ọ bụrụ na ndị ọzọ kwesiri iketa uru dị otu a nʼahụ unu, ọ bụ na anyị ekwesighị iketa karịa? Ma ọ dịbeghị mgbe anyị rịọrọ unu ihe ọbụla, kama anyị na-agbalịsị ike ịhụ na ọ dịghị ihe ga-egbochi unu iji ezi obi na-ege ntị nʼoziọma Kraịst nke anyị wetara.
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.
Ọ bụ na unu amataghị na ndị na-arụ ọrụ nʼụlọnsọ ukwu na-esi nʼụlọnsọ ahụ na-eweta ihe ha na-eri? Ndị na-agbakwa odibo nʼebe ịchụ aja na-eketakwa oke nʼihe eji chụọ aja?
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.
Nʼotu aka ahụ kwa, Onyenwe anyị ekwuola na ndị niile na-ekwusa oziọma ya ga-esi nʼoziọma eweta nri ha ga-eri dị ndụ.
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].
Ma o nweghị mgbe m jirila ike ndị a m nwere irite uru nʼọrụ m nara ndị mmadụ ihe. Anaghị m ede nke a nʼakwụkwọ ka a na-ebutere m ihe onyinye. Nʼihi na ọ kaara m mma ka m nwụọ kama m ga-ekwe ka onye ọbụla mee ka ịnya isi m bụrụ ihe efu nʼihi ihe onyinye.
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.
Anaghị anya isi nʼihi na ana m ezisa oziọma, maka na nke ahụ bụ ọrụ e nyere m nʼiwu ka m rụọ. Ahụhụ dịịrị m ma ọ bụrụ na m ezisaghị oziọma.
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.
A sị na m ji aka m họpụta onwe m ịrụ ọrụ a, agaara m enwe ụgwọ ọrụ, ma na ọ bụrụ na o sighị nʼuche aka m, unu mara na-ahanyere m ya nʼaka.
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.
Gịnị bụ ụgwọ ọrụ m? Ụgwọ ọrụ m bụ ọṅụ m na-enwe site nʼizisa oziọma a, na-anaghị onye ọbụla ụgwọ ọrụ ọbụla, maọbụ ihe ruru m dịka onye na-ezisa oziọma ahụ.
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].
Ọ bụ ezie na-abụghị m ohu onye ọbụla, ma emeela m onwe m ohu nye mmadụ niile ka m nwee ike site nʼụzọ dị otu a rite ọtụtụ mkpụrụobi nʼuru nye Kraịst.
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].
Nʼebe ndị Juu nọọ, ana m eme dịka onye Juu, ka m nwee ike rite ndị Juu nʼuru. Nʼetiti ndị nọ nʼokpuru iwu, ana m emekwa dịka otu nʼime ndị nọ nʼokpuru iwu (nʼagbanyeghị na mụ onwe m anọghị nʼokpuru iwu), ka m si otu a nwee ike rite ndị nọ nʼokpuru iwu nʼuru.
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.
Nʼebe ndị na-anọghị nʼokpuru iwu nọ, emere m onwe m ka onye na-anọghị nʼokpuru iwu (ma nke a apụtaghị na m na-akwụsị ime ihe iwu Chineke na-achọ. Ana m emekwa dịka onye nọ nʼokpuru iwu Kraịst), ka m nwee ike rite ndị na-anọghị nʼokpuru iwu nʼuru.
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].
Nʼebe ndị na-adịghị ike nọ, ana m emekwa dịka ha, ka m nwee ike rite ndị na-adịghị ike nʼuru. Otu ọbụla mmadụ si dịrị, ana m agbalị chọọ ụzọ m ga-esi mee ka ọ nabata m, ka m nwee ike site nʼụzọ niile ọbụla zọpụta ụfọdụ.
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].
Ana m eme ihe ndị a niile nʼihi oziọma, ma ka m nwekwa ike keta oke na ngọzị ya.
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].
Unu amataghị na mgbe ọtụtụ mmadụ na-agba ọsọ ịsọ mpi, ọ bụ naanị otu onye na-enwe ihe onyinye nke mbụ? Ya mere, gbasienụ ọsọ ike, ka unu nweta onyinye ahụ.
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].
Ndị na-ejikere ịgba ọsọ maọbụ egwuregwu ọzọ na-enwe ntachiobi nʼọtụtụ ahụhụ nke ya na ọzụzụ so. Ha na-azụ onwe ha naanị ka ha nweta okpueze okoko osisi na-emebi emebi. Ma ọsọ anyị na-agba bụ ka anyị nweta okpueze nke na-apụghị imebi emebi.
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.
Ọ bụ nke a mere m ji na-agba ọsọ a na-eleghị anya nʼazụ, maọbụ kụọ ọkpọ dịka m na-akụ ifufe.
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.
Ma ana m azụ ahụ m, na-enye ya ahụhụ mee ya ka ọ bụrụ ohu, ka mụ onwe m ghara ị bụ onye a jụrụ ajụ mgbe m kwusasịrị oziọma nye ndị ọzọ.
