1 Corintios 9

1 ¿No soy libre? ¿No soy un apóstol? ¿No he visto a Jesús nuestro Señor? ¿no son ustedes el resultado de mi trabajo en el Señor?

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 Si para otros no soy un apóstol, al menos soy uno para ustedes; el hecho de que sean creyentes es la señal de que soy un apóstol.

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 Mi respuesta a los que me juzgan es esto.

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 ¿No tenemos derecho a tomar comida y bebida?

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 ¿No tenemos derecho a llevar con nosotros una esposa cristiana, como el resto de los Apóstoles, y los hermanos del Señor, y Cefas?

[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 O solo yo y Bernabé, ¿no tenemos derecho a descansar del trabajo?

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 ¿Quién va a la guerra sin esperar a que alguien sea responsable de su pago? ¿Quién cultiva viñedo y no come el fruto de ellas? ¿o quién cuida ovejas sin beber su leche?

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 ¿Estoy hablando como un hombre? ¿la ley no dice lo mismo?

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 Porque dice en la ley de Moisés: No es correcto impedir que el buey tome el grano cuando lo está aplastando. ¿Es por los bueyes que Dios está dando órdenes?

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 ¿O nos tiene en mente? Sí, fue dicho por nosotros; porque es correcto para el labrador hacer su arado en la esperanza, y para el que está aplastando el grano para hacer su trabajo esperando una parte en los frutos de ello.

[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 Si hemos plantado para ti las cosas del Espíritu, ¿te parece grandioso que nos des partes en tus cosas de este mundo?

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 Si otros tienen una parte en este derecho sobre ustedes, ¿no tenemos aún más? Pero no hicimos uso de nuestro derecho, para no poner nada en el camino de las buenas nuevas de Cristo.

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 ¿No ves que los siervos de las cosas santas se ganan la vida del templo, y los siervos del altar tienen su parte en la comida que se ofrece sobre el altar?

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 Así también el Señor dio órdenes para que los predicadores de las buenas nuevas pudieran ganarse la vida con las buenas nuevas.

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 Pero no he usado ninguna de estas cosas: y no estoy escribiendo esto con la esperanza de que me puedan dar algo: porque sería mejor para mí sufrir la muerte, a que alguien me quite esta satisfacción que tengo!

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 Porque si soy un predicador de las buenas nuevas, no tengo motivo para estar orgulloso de esto; porque estoy obligado a hacerlo, porque una maldición está sobre mí si no lo hago.

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 Pero si lo hago con gusto, tengo una recompensa; y si no, tengo órdenes de hacerlo.

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 ¿Cuál es mi recompensa? Esto, que cuando estoy dando las buenas noticias, puedo darlo sin cobrar nada, sin hacer uso de mis derechos como predicador de las buenas nuevas.

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 Porque aunque fui libre de todos, me hice siervo de todos para que otros tuvieran salvación.

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 Y para los judíos yo era judío, para ganarlos para Cristo, para darles las buenas nuevas; para los que están bajo la ley yo era el mismo, no como si estuviera bajo la ley, sino para dar las buenas nuevas a los que están bajo la ley.

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 A los que no obedecían a la ley, como si yo estuviera sin ley, no como un ser sin ley para Dios, sino sujeto a la ley de Cristo, para dar la buena noticia a aquellos que no tienen la ley.

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 Para los débiles en la fe, débil como uno de ellos, para que tengan salvación: he sido todo para todos, para que al menos algunos tengan la salvación.

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 Y hago todo por la causa de las buenas nuevas, para hacerme copartícipe.

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 ¿No ven que en una competencia en curso todos participan, pero sólo uno obtiene la recompensa? Así que fijen su meta en la recompensa.

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 Y cada hombre que participa en los deportes tiene dominio propio en todas las cosas. Ahora lo hacen para obtener una corona que es de este mundo, pero nosotros para una corona eterna, incorruptible.

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 Entonces estoy corriendo, no sin incertidumbre; entonces peleo, no como quien da golpes en el aire:

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 Pero doy golpes a mi cuerpo, y lo mantengo bajo control, por temor a que, después de haber dado las buenas nuevas a otros, para no quedar yo mismo descalificado después de haber predicado a otros.

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.