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? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not all of you my work in the Lord?
2 Uba ngingesuye umphostoli kwabanye, kodwa nginguye sibili kini; ngoba lina liluphawu lobuphostoli bami eNkosini.
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are all of you in the Lord.
3 Ukuziphendulela kwami kwabangihlolayo yilokhu.
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Kasilamandla yini okudla lokunatha?
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 Kasilamandla yini okuhambahamba lomzalwanekazi ongumkethu, njengabanye abaphostoli labo, labafowabo beNkosi, loKefasi?
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Kumbe yimi ngedwa loBarnabasi yini esingelamandla okungasebenzi?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 Ngubani owake waphuma impi ngezakhe indleko? Ngubani ohlanyela isivini, angadli okwesithelo saso? Kumbe ngubani owelusa umhlambi, angadli okochago lomhlambi?
Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
8 Kambe lezizinto ngizitsho ngokomuntu? Kumbe lomlayo kawutsho lezizinto yini?
Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?
9 Ngoba kulotshiwe emlayweni kaMozisi ukuthi: Ungayifaki isayeke inkabi ebhula amabele. Kambe uNkulunkulu ukhathalela inkabi?
For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not suppress the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does 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.
Or says he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 Uba thina sahlanyela kini okomoya, kuyinto enkulu yini uba sivuna okwenu okwenyama?
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 Uba abanye behlanganyela lamandla phezu kwenu, kakhulu kangakanani thina? Kodwa kasiwasebenzisanga lawomandla, kodwa sibekezelela konke, ukuze singabeki isikhubekiso evangelini likaKristu.
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Kalazi yini ukuthi labo abasebenza ezintweni ezingcwele badla okwethempeli, labo abalinda ilathi bahlanganyela lelathi?
Do all of you 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 Ngokunjalo iNkosi layo ilayile ukuthi labo abatshumayela ivangeli baphile ngevangeli.
Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live 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 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 Ngoba loba ngitshumayela ivangeli, kangilakuzincoma; ngoba imfanelo yetheswe mina; kodwa maye kimi, uba ngingatshumayeli ivangeli!
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 Ngoba uba ngisenza lokhu ngokuzithandela, ngilomvuzo; kodwa nxa kungeyisikho ngokuzithandela, ubuphathi bunikelwe kimi.
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 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? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 Ngoba ngikhululekile kubo bonke, ngizenze isigqili sabo bonke, ukuze ngizuze abanengi kakhulu.
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 LakumaJuda ngaba njengomJuda, ukuze ngizuze amaJuda; kwabangaphansi komlayo njengongaphansi komlayo, ukuze ngizuze abangaphansi komlayo;
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 kwabangelamlayo njengongelamlayo (ngingesuye ongelamlayo kuNkulunkulu kodwa ngiphakathi komlayo kuKristu), ukuze ngizuze abangelamlayo;
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 kwababuthakathaka ngaba njengobuthakathaka, ukuze ngizuze ababuthakathaka; ngaba yikho konke kubo bonke, ukuze ngakho konke ngisindise abanye.
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 Lalokho ngikwenza ngenxa yevangeli, ukuze lami ngibe ngohlanganyela kulo.
And this I do for the gospel's 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.
Know all of you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that all of you may obtain.
25 Labo bonke abancintisanayo bayazithiba ezintweni zonke; labo-ke ukuze bemukele umqhele ophelayo, kodwa thina ongapheliyo.
And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 Mina-ke ngigijima ngokunjalo hatshi njengongaqondanga lutho; ngilwa ngokunjalo hatshi njengodabula umoya;
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air:
27 kodwa ngiyawudinda umzimba wami ngiwenze isigqili, hlezi kuthi, sengitshumayeze abanye ngilahlwe mina uqobo.
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.
