1 Ndị Kọrint 3
1 Ụmụnna m, o siiri m ike ịgwa unu okwu dịka a ga-asị na unu bụ ndị tozuru etozu nʼime Mmụọ, kama agwara m unu okwu dịka ndị anụ ahụ ha na-achị, ndị bụ ụmụntakịrị nʼime Kraịst.
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 Ejighị m nri siri ike na-azụ unu, kama eji m mmiri ara na-azụ unu, nʼihi na unu apụghị iri nri dị ike. Nʼezie, ọ bụladị ugbu a, unu erubeghị iri nri siri ike.
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 Nʼihi na unu na-adị ndụ dịka ndị bi nʼụwa, ebe ọ bụ na ekworo na esemokwu na-adị nʼetiti unu, nke a o zipụtaghị na unu na-eme dịka ndị ụwa, dịka ndị mmadụ efu nọ nʼụwa.
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 Nʼihi na mgbe otu onye na-asị, “Abụ m nke Pọl,” onye ọzọ na-asịkwa, “Abụ m nke Apọlọs,” o gosighị na unu na-akpa agwa dịka ndị bi nʼụwa?
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 Onye bụ Apọlọs? Onye bụ Pọl? Ọ bụ na anyị abụghị ndị na-eje ozi, ndị wetaara unu oziọma unu kweere nʼime ya. Ọrụ dị iche iche anyị rụrụ bụkwa nke anyị rụrụ dịka Onyenwe anyị si kenye anyị ọrụ ahụ.
[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 Ọ bụ m kụrụ mkpụrụ ahụ, Apọlọs bụkwa onye gbara mkpụrụ ahụ mmiri, maọbụ Chineke mere ka o too.
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 Onye kụrụ mkpụrụ ahụ na onye gbara mkpụrụ ahụ mmiri adịghị mkpa. Ọ bụ Chineke onye mere ka ha too dị mkpa.
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 O nweghị ihe dị iche nʼetiti mụ bụ onye kụrụ mkpụrụ ahụ na Apọlọs onye gbara mkpụrụ ahụ mmiri. Ọ bụ otu ihe ahụ ka anyị bu nʼobi. Onye ọbụla ga-anata ụgwọ ọrụ ya.
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 Anyị so Chineke na-arụ ọrụ. Unu onwe unu bụkwanụ ubi Chineke bụrụkwa ụlọ ya a na-ewuli elu.
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 Eji m onyinye amara Chineke nyere m tọọ ntọala ọrụ a, dịka ezi onye ọka nʼiwu ụlọ, onye ọzọ amalitela iwukwasị ụlọ nʼelu ntọala ahụ. Ma ka onye ọbụla kpachapụ anya otu o si ewu.
[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 O nweghị onye ọzọ pụrụ ịtọ ntọala karịrị ntọala ahụ e bururị ụzọ tọọ. Jisọs Kraịst bụkwa ntọala ahụ.
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 Ma ọ bụrụ na mmadụ ọbụla na-eji ọlaedo maọbụ ọlaọcha, ma ọ bụkwanụ nkume dị oke ọnụahịa, osisi maọbụ okporo ọka, ma ọ bụkwanụ ahịhịa na-ewukwasị nʼelu ntọala ahụ,
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 ọrụ onye ọbụla ga-egosipụta ihe ọ bụ, nʼihi na Ụbọchị ahụ ga-eme ka ọ pụta ìhè. A ga-eji ọkụ kpughee ya nʼihi na ọ bụ ọkụ ka a ga-eji nwapụta ụdị ọrụ ọ bụ mmadụ ọbụla rụrụ.
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 Ọ bụrụ na ọkụ eruchapụghị ihe ọbụla mmadụ ji wuo ụlọ ya nʼelu ntọala ahụ, onye ahụ ga-anata ụgwọ ọrụ.
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 Ma ọ bụrụ na ọkụ erechapụ ihe ọbụla mmadụ ji rụọ ọrụ ya, ọrụ ọ rụrụ ga-ala nʼiyi, ma a ga-azọpụta onye ahụ, ma ọ ga-adị ka a ga-asị na e si nʼụlọ na-ere ọkụ zọpụta ya.
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 Ọ bụ na unu aghọtaghị na unu bụ ụlọnsọ na Mmụọ Nsọ Chineke bi nʼime unu?
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 Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla emebie ụlọnsọ Chineke, Chineke ga-emebikwa onye ahụ. Nʼihi na ụlọ Chineke bụ ụlọ dị nsọ, unu bụkwa ụlọ ahụ.
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 Ka onye o bụla ghara ịghọgbu onwe ya, ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla nʼime unu na-eche nʼobi ya na ya bụ onye maara ihe, dịka ihe ọmụma nke ụwa si dị, ọ ga-akara onye ahụ mma ime onwe ya onye nzuzu, ka o nwe ike bụrụ onye maara ihe. (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 Nʼihi na ihe ahụ ụwa na-eche na ọ bụ ezi ịma ihe bụ nzuzu nʼanya Chineke. Nʼihi na e dere ya, “Ọ na-ejide ndị oke amamihe nʼaghụghọ ha niile.”
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 Ọzọkwa, “Onyenwe anyị maara echiche obi mmadụ, mara na amamihe ya bụ ihe efu.”
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 Nʼihi nke a, ka onye ọbụla ghara ịnya isi banyere mmadụ. Ihe niile bụ nke gị.
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 Ma ọ bụ Pọl, maọbụ Apọlọs, maọbụ Sefas, maọbụ ụwa a, maọbụ ndụ, maọbụ ọnwụ, maọbụ ihe dị taa na ihe niile ga-adị nʼoge dị nʼihu, ha bụ nke unu.
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 Unu bụkwa nke Kraịst, Kraịst bụkwa nke Chineke.
[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
