1 Korintiana 9
1 Tsy midada hao iraho? Tsy Firàheñe v’irahoo? Tsy fa nitreako hao t’Iesoà Talèntika? Tsy satako amy Talè v’inahareo?
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 Aa ndra t’ie tsy Firàheñe ami’ty ila’e, toe izay ama’ areo, ie tombo-kalama’ ty maha-Firàhe’ i Talè ahy.
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 Inao ty fatoiko amo mandohy ahio:
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 Tsy aman-jo hihinañe naho hinoñe v’izahay?
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 Tsy zo’ay hao ty minday valy mpiato hindre lia ama’ay manahake o Firàheñe ila’eo, naho i rahalahi’ i Talè rey vaho i Kefasy?
[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 Ke izaho naho i Barnabasy avao ty tsy aman-jo hitroatse amy fitoloña’aiy.
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 Ia ty lahin-defoñe miato amy vara’ey hihotakotake? Ia ty mambole valoboke tsy mikama amo voa’eo? Ia ty mpiarake tsy mandriotse amy lia-raikey?
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 Mivolañe ami’ty haondatiko iraho, fa toe tsarae’ i Hake,
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 ie pinatetse amy Hà’ i Mosèy ao ty hoe: Ko mameo ty añombe mandisam-bare. O añombeo hao o ambenan’ Añahareo?
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 Ke itika i nitsarae’ey? Eka! pinate’e ho an-tikañe, soa te hiava am-pitamàñe ty mpiava, naho hitamà ty anjara’e i mpitatakey.
[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 Aa naho añ’ arofo ty nitongisa’ay ama’ areo, ho raha jabajaba hao ty hanifoa’ay ty ho paia’ ty sandriñe?
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 Aa naho aman-dily hitake ama’ areo ty ila’e, tsy sandrake zahay? Fe tsy rinambe’ay i lily zay, fa mifeake amy ze he’e, tsy mone ho sebañe’ay ty talili-soa’ i Norizañey.
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 Tsy fohi’ areo hao te mikama amo mahakama’ i anjombaio o mpitoroñe amy Masiñeio, naho mitraok-anjara amy kitreliy o mpiatrake i kitreliio?
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 Natoro’ i Talè ka te ho veloñe amy talili-soay ty mitaroñe i talili-soay.
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 Fe tsy nirambesako; toe tsy t’ie handrambe izay ty nanokirako, eka hàmake t’ie hikenkañe ta te ho koaheñe o fisengeakoo.
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 Ie taroñeko i talili-soay, tsy eo ty isengeako, amy te nafantoke; eka, hankàñe amako naho tsy taroñeko i talili-soay.
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 Naho satriko i fitoloñañey le ho tambezeñe; fe ndra tsy satriko, tsy mete tsy anoeko avao fa nafantoke amako i fitoroñañey.
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 Inoñe arè ty tambeko? Te, ie taroñeko i talili-soay, ro atoloko tsi-am-bili’e, soa tsy handrambesako zo amy talili-soay.
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 Aa ndra t’ie votsotse am’ iabikey, niondevo am’ ie iabiy, hahareketse ty maro;
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 Tamo Jiosio iraho, nanao hoe t’ie Jiosy, hahareketse Jiosy; ie ami’ty ambane’ Hàke le anoeko hoe te ambane’ Hake, ndra te tsy ambane’ Hake, hahareketse ze ambane’ Hake;
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 ami’ty tsy aman-Kàke ro anoako hoe tsy te aman-Kake, (toe tsy afake amy Han’ Añaharey iraho kanao ambane’ o Hà’ i Norizañeio) soa te ho azoko ze tsy aman-Kake;
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 amo maifoifoo iraho manao te maifoifo, handreketse o maifoifoo. Fonga tsikombèko amy ze lafi’e iaby, hahareketse ty ila’e amo sata’e iabio.
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 Anoeko ty amy talili-soay, ho mpitraok’ amy voka’ey.
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 Tsy fohi’ areo hao te songa milay o mpanao tsikaviaviao, fe raike avao ty mandrambe tambe? Milaìsa arè hahagioke.
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 Toe milie-batañe amy ze he’e ty te hahimbañe amo fifandreketañeo. Anoe’ iereo ty handrambesañe sabakan-drenge ho lo, fa itikañe ka, i tsy ho momokey.
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 Aa le milay iraho, tsy t’ie hañeañe tsy aman-talifireñe; mikomondro, fe tsy t’ie mpamofò-tioke.
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 Ampivohoreko ty sandriko vaho ondevozeko, soa t’ie mitaroñe ami’ty ila’e ro tsy haito.
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.
