1 KwabaseKhorinte 9

1 Kangisuye umphostoli yini? Kangikhululekanga yini? Angimbonanga yini uJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu? Lina kalisiwo yini umsebenzi wami eNkosini?

Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord? are ye not my worke in the Lord?

2 Uba ngingesuye umphostoli kwabanye, kodwa nginguye sibili kini; ngoba lina liluphawu lobuphostoli bami eNkosini.

If I be not an Apostle vnto other, yet doutlesse I am vnto you: for ye are the seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord.

3 Ukuziphendulela kwami kwabangihlolayo yilokhu.

My defence to them that examine mee, is this,

4 Kasilamandla yini okudla lokunatha?

Haue we not power to eat and to drinke?

5 Kasilamandla yini okuhambahamba lomzalwanekazi ongumkethu, njengabanye abaphostoli labo, labafowabo beNkosi, loKefasi?

Or haue we not power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Kumbe yimi ngedwa loBarnabasi yini esingelamandla okungasebenzi?

Or I only and Barnabas, haue not we power not to worke?

7 Ngubani owake waphuma impi ngezakhe indleko? Ngubani ohlanyela isivini, angadli okwesithelo saso? Kumbe ngubani owelusa umhlambi, angadli okochago lomhlambi?

Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coste? who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke?

8 Kambe lezizinto ngizitsho ngokomuntu? Kumbe lomlayo kawutsho lezizinto yini?

Say I these thinges according to man? saith not the Lawe the same also?

9 Ngoba kulotshiwe emlayweni kaMozisi ukuthi: Ungayifaki isayeke inkabi ebhula amabele. Kambe uNkulunkulu ukhathalela inkabi?

For it is written in the Lawe of Moses, Thou shalt not mussell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: doeth God take care for oxen?

10 Kumbe utsho ngenxa yethu isibili? Ngoba kubhalwe ngenxa yethu, ukuze kuthi olimayo kufanele alime ethembeni, lobhulayo esethembeni uhlanganyela ethembeni lakhe.

Either saith hee it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt it is written, that he which eareth, should eare in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope.

11 Uba thina sahlanyela kini okomoya, kuyinto enkulu yini uba sivuna okwenu okwenyama?

If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?

12 Uba abanye behlanganyela lamandla phezu kwenu, kakhulu kangakanani thina? Kodwa kasiwasebenzisanga lawomandla, kodwa sibekezelela konke, ukuze singabeki isikhubekiso evangelini likaKristu.

If others with you bee partakers of this power, are not we rather? neuerthelesse, we haue not vsed this power: but suffer all things, that we should not hinder the Gospel of Christ.

13 Kalazi yini ukuthi labo abasebenza ezintweni ezingcwele badla okwethempeli, labo abalinda ilathi bahlanganyela lelathi?

Doe ye not knowe, that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? and they which waite at the altar, are partakers with the altar?

14 Ngokunjalo iNkosi layo ilayile ukuthi labo abatshumayela ivangeli baphile ngevangeli.

So also hath the Lord ordeined, that they which preach ye Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.

15 Kodwa mina angisebenzisanga lalunye lwalezizinto; futhi kangibhalanga lezizinto ukuze kwenziwe njalo kimi, ngoba kungaba ngcono kimi ukuthi ngife, kulokuthi umuntu akwenze ize ukuzincoma kwami.

But I haue vsed none of these things: neither wrote I these things, that it should be so done vnto me: for it were better for me to die, then that any man should make my reioycing vaine.

16 Ngoba loba ngitshumayela ivangeli, kangilakuzincoma; ngoba imfanelo yetheswe mina; kodwa maye kimi, uba ngingatshumayeli ivangeli!

For though I preach the Gospel, I haue nothing to reioyce of: for necessitie is laid vpon me, and woe is vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel.

17 Ngoba uba ngisenza lokhu ngokuzithandela, ngilomvuzo; kodwa nxa kungeyisikho ngokuzithandela, ubuphathi bunikelwe kimi.

For if I do it willingly, I haue a reward, but if I do it against my will, notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me.

18 Pho umvuzo wami uyini? Uyikuthi nxa ngitshumayela ivangeli ngenze ukuthi ivangeli likaKristu lingabizi lutho, ukuze ngingasebenzisi kakhulu amandla ami evangelini.

What is my reward then? verely that when I preach the Gospel, I make the Gospel of Christ free, that I abuse not mine authoritie in ye Gospel.

19 Ngoba ngikhululekile kubo bonke, ngizenze isigqili sabo bonke, ukuze ngizuze abanengi kakhulu.

For though I bee free from all men, yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men, that I might winne the moe.

20 LakumaJuda ngaba njengomJuda, ukuze ngizuze amaJuda; kwabangaphansi komlayo njengongaphansi komlayo, ukuze ngizuze abangaphansi komlayo;

And vnto the Iewes, I become as a Iewe, that I may winne the Iewes: to them that are vnder the Lawe, as though I were vnder the Lawe, that I may winne them that are vnder the Lawe:

21 kwabangelamlayo njengongelamlayo (ngingesuye ongelamlayo kuNkulunkulu kodwa ngiphakathi komlayo kuKristu), ukuze ngizuze abangelamlayo;

To them that are without Lawe, as though I were without Lawe, (when I am not without Lawe as pertaining to God, but am in the Lawe through Christ) that I may winne them that are without Lawe:

22 kwababuthakathaka ngaba njengobuthakathaka, ukuze ngizuze ababuthakathaka; ngaba yikho konke kubo bonke, ukuze ngakho konke ngisindise abanye.

To the weake I become as weake, that I may winne the weake: I am made all thinges to all men, that I might by all meanes saue some.

23 Lalokho ngikwenza ngenxa yevangeli, ukuze lami ngibe ngohlanganyela kulo.

And this I doe for the Gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24 Kalazi yini ukuthi abagijima emjahweni bagijima bonke, kodwa munye owemukela umvuzo? Ngokunjalo gijimani, ukuze liwuzuze.

Knowe ye not, that they which runne in a race, runne all, yet one receiueth the price? so runne that ye may obtaine.

25 Labo bonke abancintisanayo bayazithiba ezintweni zonke; labo-ke ukuze bemukele umqhele ophelayo, kodwa thina ongapheliyo.

And euery man that proueth masteries, abstaineth from all things: and they do it to obtaine a corruptible crowne: but we for an vncorruptible.

26 Mina-ke ngigijima ngokunjalo hatshi njengongaqondanga lutho; ngilwa ngokunjalo hatshi njengodabula umoya;

I therefore so runne, not as vncertainely: so fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre.

27 kodwa ngiyawudinda umzimba wami ngiwenze isigqili, hlezi kuthi, sengitshumayeze abanye ngilahlwe mina uqobo.

But I beate downe my body, and bring it into subiection, lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other, I my selfe should be reproued.