1 Bakolinto 9
1 Boni, nazali nsomi te? Nazali ntoma te? Namona te Yesu, Nkolo na biso? Bozali mbuma ya mosala na ngai te kati na Nkolo?
Am not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?
2 Soki, mpo na bato mosusu, nazali ntoma te, kasi mpo na bino, nazali solo ntoma, pamba te bino bozali kashe ya bontoma na ngai kati na Nkolo.
And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 Tala eyano na ngai epai ya bato oyo basambisaka ngai:
My defence with them that do examine me is this.
4 Boni, tozangi makoki ya kolia mpe ya komela?
Have not we power to eat and to drink?
5 Tozangi makoki ya kotambola elongo na mwasi moklisto, ndenge bantoma mosusu mpe bandeko ya Nkolo mpe Petelo basalaka?
Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Boni, ezali kaka ngai mpe Barnabasi nde tosengeli kosala?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this?
7 Nani asalaka mosala ya soda na mbongo na ye moko? Nani alonaka elanga ya vino mpo alia mbuma na yango te? Nani abatelaka etonga mpo amela miliki na yango te?
Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Boni, ezali kaka na bomoto nde nazali koloba bongo? Boni, mobeko elobi mpe bongo te?
Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things?
9 Solo, ekomama kati na mobeko ya Moyize: « Osengeli te kokanga monoko ya ngombe oyo ezali konika bambuma. » Boni, bokanisi ete Nzambe azalaki nde komitungisa mpo na bangombe?
For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Ezali te mpo na biso nde alobaki bongo? Solo, ezali mpo na biso nde ekomamaki bongo; pamba te moto oyo azali kotimola asengeli kosala yango na elikya, mpe oyo azali kobeta mbuma asengeli kosala yango na elikya ete akozwa eteni na ye.
Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.
11 Boni, soki tolonaki nkona ya molimo kati na bino, ezali penza mabe soki tobuki kati na bino mbuma ya biloko oyo maboko ekoki kosimba?
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?
12 Soki bato mosusu bazali kosalela makoki wana ya kozwa biloko epai na bino, tosengeli te, biso, kosalela yango koleka? Nzokande, tosalelaki makoki yango te, tokangaka kaka motema na makambo nyonso, mpo ete tozala epekiselo te liboso ya Sango Malamu ya Klisto.
If others be partakers of this power over you, why not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power: but we bear all things, lest we should give any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
13 Boyebi te ete bato oyo basalaka kati na Tempelo baliaka bilei kowuta na Tempelo, mpe ete ba-oyo basalaka na etumbelo bazwaka eteni na bango kati na mbeka oyo ebonzami na etumbelo?
Know you not, that they who work in the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place; and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar?
14 Ndenge moko mpe, Nkolo apesaki mitindo ete bato oyo bateyaka Sango Malamu babika bomoi na bango na nzela ya Sango Malamu.
So also the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.
15 Kasi ngai, nasaleli makoki na ngai ata moke te, mpe ezali te mpo na kosenga yango nde nakomeli bino mokanda oyo; pamba te nakosepela kutu kokufa na esika ete moto mosusu abebisa tina ya lokumu na ngai.
But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that they should be so done unto me: for it is good for me to die, rather than that any man should make my glory void.
16 Koteya Sango Malamu ezali likambo oyo ngai nasengeli te komikumisa na yango, pamba te mosala yango epesamelaki ngai na makasi. Mawa na ngai soki nateyi te Sango malamu!
For if I preach the gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me: for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
17 Soki mokano ya koteya ewutaki epai na ngai moko, nalingaki solo kozwa lifuti; kasi lokola mokano yango ewutaki epai na ngai te, nazali kaka kokokisa mosala oyo epesamelaki ngai.
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me:
18 Bongo lifuti na ngai ezali penza nini? Ezali nde kokaba na ofele Sango Malamu oyo nazali koteya, na kozanga kozwa lifuti oyo Sango Malamu yango epesi ngai.
What is my reward then? That preaching the gospel, I may deliver the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 Solo, atako nazali nsomi na miso ya bato nyonso, kasi namikomisa mowumbu ya bato nyonso, mpo ete namema bato ebele koleka epai ya Yesu-Klisto.
For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more.
20 Tango nazalaka elongo na Bayuda, nakomaka lokola Moyuda mpo ete namema bango epai ya Klisto; tango nazalaka elongo na bato oyo bazali na se ya bokonzi ya Mibeko, nakomaka lokola moto oyo azali na se ya bokonzi ya Mibeko, mpo ete namema bango epai ya Klisto, atako ngai moko nazali na se ya bokonzi ya Mibeko te.
And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews:
21 Tango nazalaka elongo na bato oyo bazali na se ya bokonzi ya Mibeko te, nakomaka mpe lokola moto oyo azali na se ya bokonzi ya Mibeko te, mpo ete namema bango epai ya Klisto; nzokande natosaka Mibeko ya Nzambe, pamba te natosaka Mibeko ya Klisto.
To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law, ) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ, ) that I might gain them that were without the law.
22 Tango nazalaka elongo na bato oyo balenda te na kondima, nakomaka lokola moto alenda te na kondima, mpo ete namema bango kati na kondima epai ya Klisto. Namikomisaka nyonso epai ya bato nyonso, mpo na kobikisa ndambo ya bato kati na bango.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all.
23 Mpe nasalaka makambo wana nyonso mpo na Sango Malamu, mpo ete ngai mpe nazwa mapamboli na ngai kati na yango.
And I do all things for the gospel’s sake: that I may be made partaker thereof.
24 Boni, boyebi te ete bato oyo bakimaka mbangu kati na lisano ya kopota mbangu, bango nyonso bapotaka mbangu, kasi moto moko kaka nde azwaka mbano? Bino mpe bopota mbangu lokola ye, na lolenge ya kozwa mbano.
Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.
25 Bato nyonso oyo basalaka masano bamipekisaka makambo ebele; basalaka bongo mpo na kozwa motole oyo ebebaka; kasi biso, tosalaka bongo mpo na kozwa motole oyo ebebaka te.
And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.
26 Yango wana ngai, nazali kopota mbangu na bozoba te, nazali kobeta makofi bibetabeta te.
I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:
27 Kasi nakonzaka nzoto na ngai, nakomisaka yango lokola mowumbu, pamba te nabangaka kozanga mbano sima na ngai koteya bato mosusu.
But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.
