Corinthios I 9
1 non sum liber non sum apostolus nonne Iesum Dominum nostrum vidi non opus meum vos estis in Domino
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 si aliis non sum apostolus sed tamen vobis sum nam signaculum apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino
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 mea defensio apud eos qui me interrogant haec est
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 numquid non habemus potestatem manducandi et bibendi
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 numquid non habemus potestatem sororem mulierem circumducendi sicut et ceteri apostoli et fratres Domini et Cephas
[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 aut solus ego et Barnabas non habemus potestatem hoc operandi
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 quis militat suis stipendiis umquam quis plantat vineam et fructum eius non edit quis pascit gregem et de lacte gregis non manducat
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 numquid secundum hominem haec dico an et lex haec non dicit
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 scriptum est enim in lege Mosi non alligabis os bovi trituranti numquid de bubus cura est Deo
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 an propter nos utique dicit nam propter nos scripta sunt quoniam debet in spe qui arat arare et qui triturat in spe fructus percipiendi
[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 si nos vobis spiritalia seminavimus magnum est si nos carnalia vestra metamus
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 alii potestatis vestrae participes sunt non potius nos sed non usi sumus hac potestate sed omnia sustinemus ne quod offendiculum demus evangelio Christi
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 nescitis quoniam qui in sacrario operantur quae de sacrario sunt edunt qui altario deserviunt cum altario participantur
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 ita et Dominus ordinavit his qui evangelium adnuntiant de evangelio vivere
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 ego autem nullo horum usus sum non scripsi autem haec ut ita fiant in me bonum est enim mihi magis mori quam ut gloriam meam quis evacuet
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 nam si evangelizavero non est mihi gloria necessitas enim mihi incumbit vae enim mihi est si non evangelizavero
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 enim volens hoc ago mercedem habeo si autem invitus dispensatio mihi credita est
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 quae est ergo merces mea ut evangelium praedicans sine sumptu ponam evangelium ut non abutar potestate mea in evangelio
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 nam cum liber essem ex omnibus omnium me servum feci ut plures lucri facerem
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 et factus sum Iudaeis tamquam Iudaeus ut Iudaeos lucrarer
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 his qui sub lege sunt quasi sub lege essem cum ipse non essem sub lege ut eos qui sub lege erant lucri facerem his qui sine lege erant tamquam sine lege essem cum sine lege Dei non essem sed in lege essem Christi ut lucri facerem eos qui sine lege erant
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 factus sum infirmis infirmus ut infirmos lucri facerem omnibus omnia factus sum ut omnes facerem salvos
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 omnia autem facio propter evangelium ut particeps eius efficiar
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 nescitis quod hii qui in stadio currunt omnes quidem currunt sed unus accipit bravium sic currite ut conprehendatis
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 omnis autem qui in agone contendit ab omnibus se abstinet et illi quidem ut corruptibilem coronam accipiant nos autem incorruptam
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 ego igitur sic curro non quasi in incertum sic pugno non quasi aerem verberans
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 sed castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo ne forte cum aliis praedicaverim ipse reprobus efficiar
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.
