1 Korint 9
1 Eske m' pa lib? Eske m' pa yon apòt? Eske m' pa t' wè Jezikri, Seyè nou an? Eske nou menm, se pa rezilta travay mwen nan sèvis Seyè a nou ye?
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]
2 Menm si pou lòt moun mwen pa apòt, pou nou menm se apòt mwen ye. Paske, jan n'ap viv ansanm ak Seyè a, nou se prèv se apòt mwen ye.
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.
3 Lè moun ap kritike m', men ki jan mwen defann tèt mwen:
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].
4 Mwen mande yo: Eske m' pa gen dwa pou yo ban m' manje, pou yo ban m' bwè pou travay mwen?
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]
5 Eske m' pa gen dwa fè tankou tout lòt apòt yo, tankou frè Seyè yo ansanm ak Sefas, pou m' mennen yon sè ki ta madanm mwen kote m' prale?
[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]
6 Eske se Banabas avè m' ase ki pou fè lòt travay pou n' ka viv?
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]]
7 Nou janm tande yon sòlda ap fè sèvis nan lame, pou se li menm ankò ki peye tèt li? Ou ankò, èske yon moun pa gen dwa manje rezen nan pye rezen li te plante a? Osinon, èske yon gadò mouton pa gen dwa bwè lèt mouton l'ap okipe yo?
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].
8 Pa konprann se sèlman nan zafè lèzòm nou jwenn egzanp konsa. Lalwa Moyiz la di menm bagay la tou.
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].
9 Men sa ki ekri nan Liv lalwa a: Pa bay bèf k'ap rale kabwèt la baboukèt. Se lapenn Bondye gen konsa pou bèf yo atò?
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]
10 Nou pa kwè se pou nou l'ap pale pito? Men wi. Se pou nou pawòl la te ekri. Se pou moun k'ap bat tè a fè travay la ak espwa y'ap ba li pa l' nan rekòt la. Se menm jan an tou pou moun k'ap bat pwa a.
[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].
11 Nou simen grenn ki soti nan Lespri Bondye a nan kè nou. Eske se yon zafè sa ta ye si nou rekòlte nan byen materyèl nou yo?
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]
12 Si lòt moun gen dwa sa a sou nou, èske nou menm nou pa gen plis dwa pase yo? Men nou pa t' pwofite dwa sa a. Okontrè, nou soufri tout bagay pou n' pa antrave mach bon nouvèl ki pale sou Kris la.
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.
13 Nou konnen sa byen pwòp: tout moun k'ap travay pou Bondye nan tanp lan, manje yo sou kont tanp lan. Tout moun k'ap ofri bèt pou touye sou lòtèl la resevwa pa yo nan vyann bèt yo touye a.
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.
14 Konsa tou, Seyè a bay lòd pou tout moun k'ap anonse bon nouvèl la fèt pou yo viv sou kont travay bon nouvèl la.
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.
15 Men, poutèt pa m', mwen pa janm pwofite dwa sa a. Se pa pou fè ankenn reklamasyon non plis kifè m'ap ekri sa. Mwen ta pito mouri pase pou m' ta kite moun wete lwanj sa a nan men mwen!
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].
16 Tande byen, se pa yon lwanj pou mwen dèske m'ap anonse bon nouvèl la. Sa se yon obligasyon yo fè mwen. Malè pou mwen si m' pa anonse bon nouvèl la!
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.
17 Si se mwen ki te chwazi tèt mwen pou fè travay sa a, mwen ta ka gen espwa resevwa lajan pou sa. Men, si se fòse yo fòse m' fè travay sa a, lè sa a se yon reskonsablite Bondye ban mwen.
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.
18 Ki jan yo peye m' atò? Tout plezi m' se pou m' anonse bon nouvèl la gratis, san m' pa egzije anyen nan sa yo dwe m' pou travay m'ap fè a lè m'ap anonse bon nouvèl la.
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.
19 Mwen lib, mwen pa esklav pesonn. Men, mwen fè tèt mwen esklav tout moun pou m' ka mennen mezi m' kapab vin jwenn Kris la.
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].
20 Lè m'ap travay nan mitan moun ki jwif, mwen viv tankou yon jwif pou m' ka mennen yo vin jwenn Kris la. Mwen pa anba lalwa Moyiz la. Men, mwen viv tankou si m' te anba l' lè m'ap travay nan mitan moun ki anba lalwa a, pou m' ka mennen yo vin jwenn Kris la.
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].
21 Konsa tou, lè m' nan mitan moun ki pa konnen lalwa Moyiz la, mwen viv tankou yo san m' pa okipe lalwa a, pou m' ka mennen yo vin jwenn Kris la. Sa pa vle di pou sa mwen pa obeyi lalwa Bondye a. Paske mwen menm, mwen anba lalwa Kris la.
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.
22 Avèk moun ki fèb nan konfyans yo, m'ap viv tankou si mwen menm tou mwen te fèb, pou m' sa mennen yo vini. Konsa konsa, mwen fè m' tout jan ak tout moun pou m' ka sove kèk nan yo pa tout mwayen posib.
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].
23 Mwen fè tou sa poutèt bon nouvèl la, pou m' ka resevwa pa m' nan benediksyon l' yo.
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].
24 Lè y'ap fè konkou pou wè kilès ki ka kouri pi vit, tout moun gen pou kouri. Men, se yon sèl ki gen premye pri a. Nou konn sa, pa vre? Enben, nou menm tou, kouri pou n' ka genyen kous la.
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].
25 Moun k'ap fè egzèsis pou al nan konkou, yo bay kò yo yon disiplen sevè pou yo ka byen pare. Yo fè tou sa pou yo ka genyen yon kouwòn ki p'ap konsève lontan. Men nou menm, n'ap bay kò nou yon disiplen sevè pou n' ka genyen yon kouwòn k'ap la pou tout tan.
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].
26 Se poutèt sa, m'ap kouri, men je m' pa soti sou kote pou m' rive a. Mwen tankou yon nonm k'ap tire koutpwen, men mwen pa tankou moun k'ap goumen ak lonbraj li.
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.
27 Mwen aji di ak kò m', mwen kenbe l' kout, pou mwen menm yo pa voye m' jete apre mwen fin moutre lòt yo sa pou yo fè.
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.
