1 Akorinitho 3
1 Ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, ndingĩahotire kũmwarĩria ta mũrĩ andũ a kĩĩroho, no ndaamwarĩirie ta mũrĩ andũ a thĩ, o ta twana tũnini thĩinĩ wa Kristũ.
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.
2 Ndaamũheire iria, no ti irio nyũmũ ndaamũheire, nĩgũkorwo mũtiakinyĩte a gũcirĩa. Ti-itherũ o na rĩu mũtikinyĩte a gũcirĩa.
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,
3 O na rĩu mũrĩ andũ a thĩ. Kuona atĩ kũrĩ na ũiru na ngũĩ thĩinĩ wanyu-rĩ, githĩ mũtikĩrĩ andũ a thĩ? Githĩ mũtiragĩĩka o ta ũrĩa andũ a ndũire mekaga?
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.
4 Nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, rĩrĩa mũndũ ũmwe ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nũmagĩrĩra Paũlũ,” nake ũrĩa ũngĩ akoiga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nũmagĩrĩra Apolo,” githĩ mũtikĩrĩ o andũ a ndũire?
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]
5 Kaĩ Apolo akĩrĩ ũ? Nake Paũlũ akĩrĩ ũ? Acio maarĩ o ndungata, iria ciatũmire mwĩtĩkie, o ta ũrĩa Mwathani aagaĩire o mũndũ wĩra wake.
[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.
6 Niĩ nĩ mbeũ ndahaandire, nake Apolo agĩciitĩrĩria maaĩ, no nĩ Ngai watũmire ikũre.
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.
7 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ti mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga kana ũrĩa ũitagĩrĩria maaĩ ũrĩ bata, no ũrĩa ũrĩ bata nĩ Ngai, ũrĩa ũtũmaga ikũre.
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].
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũhaandaga na mũndũ ũrĩa ũitagĩrĩria maaĩ makoragwo na muoroto ũmwe, na o mũndũ akaarĩhwo kũringana na wĩra wake we mwene.
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.
9 Nĩgũkorwo tũrutithanagia wĩra hamwe na Ngai; na inyuĩ mũrĩ mũgũnda wa Ngai, na mwako wa Ngai.
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].
10 Nĩ ũndũ wa wega ũrĩa Ngai aaheete, niĩ nĩ gwaka ndaakire mũthingi haana ta mwakithia ũrĩa mũũgĩ nake mũndũ ũngĩ nĩ gwaka araaka igũrũ rĩa mũthingi ũcio. No o mũndũ nĩamenyagĩrĩre ũrĩa egwaka igũrũ rĩaguo.
[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].
11 Nĩgũkorwo gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩaka mũthingi ũngĩ tiga ũrĩa ũrĩkĩtie gwakwo, na nĩguo Jesũ Kristũ.
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.
12 Angĩkorwo mũndũ o na ũ egwaka igũrũ rĩa mũthingi ũyũ akĩhũthagĩra thahabu, kana betha, kana mahiga ma goro, kana mbaũ, kana nyeki, o na kana rũũa-rĩ,
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.
13 wĩra wake nĩũkoneka ũrĩa ũtariĩ, tondũ Mũthenya ũcio nĩũgaatũma woneke ũtheri-inĩ. Wĩra ũcio ũkaaguũrio na mwaki, nĩgũkorwo wĩra wa o mũndũ nĩũkagerio na mwaki ũcio.
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].
14 Angĩkorwo kĩrĩa mũndũ aakĩte mũthingi-igũrũ nĩgĩgetiiria mwaki ũcio-rĩ, nĩakarĩhwo mũcaara wake.
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].
15 Angĩkorwo nĩũkahĩa-rĩ, nĩakoorwo nĩguo; nowe mwene nĩakahonoka, no akaahonoka ta mũndũ ũgereire mwaki-inĩ.
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)
16 Kaĩ inyuĩ mũtooĩ atĩ inyuĩ ene mũrĩ hekarũ ya Ngai, na atĩ Roho wa Ngai atũũraga thĩinĩ wanyu?
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.
17 Mũndũ o wothe angĩananga hekarũ ya Ngai-rĩ, Ngai nĩakamwananga; nĩgũkorwo hekarũ ya Ngai nĩ theru, na nĩ inyuĩ hekarũ ĩyo.
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].
18 Mũtikae kwĩheenia. Mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ thĩinĩ wanyu angĩkorwo nĩeciiragia nĩ mũũgĩ na ũũgĩ wa mahinda maya tũrĩ-rĩ, nĩagĩtuĩke “kĩrimũ” nĩguo atuĩke mũũgĩ. (aiōn g165)
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)
19 Nĩgũkorwo ũũgĩ wa thĩ ĩno nĩ ũrimũ maitho-inĩ ma Ngai. O ta ũrĩa kwandĩkĩtwo atĩrĩ, “Nĩanyiitaga arĩa oogĩ waara-inĩ wao”;
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!
20 o na ningĩ nĩ kwandĩkĩtwo atĩrĩ, “Mwathani nĩoĩ atĩ meciiria ma arĩa oogĩ nĩ ma tũhũ.”
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.
21 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ ndakae kwĩraha na ũhoro wa andũ! Maũndũ mothe nĩ manyu,
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!
22 kana nĩ Paũlũ, kana nĩ Apolo, kana nĩ Kefa, kana nĩ thĩ ĩno, kana nĩ muoyo, kana nĩ gĩkuũ, kana nĩ maũndũ marĩa marĩ ho rĩu, kana nĩ maũndũ marĩa magooka, mothe nĩ manyu,
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.
23 na inyuĩ mũrĩ a Kristũ, nake Kristũ nĩ wa Ngai.
[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
