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 I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye 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.
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Tala eyano na ngai epai ya bato oyo basambisaka ngai:
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Boni, tozangi makoki ya kolia mpe ya komela?
Have we not right 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 right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as 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 right to forbear working?
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 goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a 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?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
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 grain. 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 saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
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 thing if we shall 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 authority over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this authority; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder 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?
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers 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.
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of 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 it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying 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 though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, 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 of the gospel is committed unto 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? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my authority 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 though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto 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 unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
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 without law, as without law, ( being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, ) that I might gain them that are without 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 became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 Mpe nasalaka makambo wana nyonso mpo na Sango Malamu, mpo ete ngai mpe nazwa mapamboli na ngai kati na yango.
And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
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 ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye 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 man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 Yango wana ngai, nazali kopota mbangu na bozoba te, nazali kobeta makofi bibetabeta te.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth 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 keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
