1 Korintofo 9

1 Menne me ho ana? Menyɛ ɔsomafo ana? Minhuu Yesu yɛn Awurade ana? Na monyɛ me nsa ano adwuma wɔ Awurade mu ana?

Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in [the] Lord?

2 Na sɛ afoforo mpo nnye me nto mu sɛ ɔsomafo a, mo de, mugye me to mu saa. Sɛnea mo ankasa mo abrabɔ te wɔ Awurade mu no di ho adanse sɛ meyɛ ɔsomafo.

If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in [the] Lord.

3 Sɛ nnipa ka me ho asɛm a, saa ɔkwan yi so na mefa yi me ho ano.

My defence to those who examine me is this:

4 Minni ho kwan sɛ mʼadwuma nti wɔma me aduan di ma me nsu nom ana?

Have we not a right to eat and to drink?

5 Minni ho kwan sɛ meyɛ nea asomafo a aka no yɛe no bi, sɛnea Awurade nuanom ne Petro yɛe, na meware Okristonibea de no ka me ho tu mʼakwan yi?

have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Anaasɛ Barnaba ne me nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛyɛ adwuma de bɔ yɛn ho akɔnhama?

Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

7 Ɔsraani bɛn na otua ɔno ankasa ne ho ka? Okuafo bɛn na onni nʼafuw mu nnɔbae bi? Oguanhwɛfo bɛn na ɔnnom ne nguan a ɔyɛn wɔn no nufusu bi?

Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

8 Ɛnsɛ sɛ miti nhwɛso a ɛwɔ yɛn abrabɔ dedaw no mu, efisɛ Mmara no ka asɛm koro no ara.

Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

9 Yɛkenkan wɔ Mose Mmara no mu se, “Sɛ wode nantwi retiatia aburow so a, nkyekyere nʼano.” Nantwi ho asɛm na ehia Onyankopɔn ana?

For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

10 Anaasɛ na asɛm a ɔreka no fa yɛn ho ana? Nokware, wɔkyerɛw eyi de maa yɛn. Ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ofuntum ne nea otwa aba no nyinaa yɛ wɔn adwuma sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, wobenya wɔn kyɛfa wɔ wɔn dwumadi no mu.

or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

11 Yɛadua honhom aba wɔ mo mu na sɛ yenya wiase nnepa fi mo nkyɛn a, ɛdɔɔso dodo ana?

If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 Na sɛ afoforo wɔ tumi sɛ wɔhwɛ eyinom anim fi mo nkyɛn a, so yɛn de, yenni tumi a ɛboro saa ana? Nanso yɛamfa saa tumi yi anni dwuma biara. Mmom yɛpenee biribiara so sɛnea yɛrensiw Kristo asɛmpa no ho kwan.

If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

13 Munim sɛ wɔn a wɔyɛ adwuma wɔ asɔredan mu no nya wɔn aduan fi asɔredan mu, na wɔn nso a wɔbɔ afɔre wɔ afɔremuka so no nso nya wɔn afɔrebɔde.

Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

14 Saa ara nso na Awurade ahyɛ sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a wɔka asɛmpa no nya wɔn asetena fi mu.

So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

15 Nanso memfaa saa kyɛfa yi mu biara nnii dwuma ɛ. Ɛnyɛ sɛ merekyerɛw mprempren sɛ mobɛyɛ saa nneɛma no ama me. Ɛno de, anka medi kan awu sen sɛ mɛma obi asiw me eyi ho kwan.

But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

16 Minni tumi sɛ mɛhoahoa me ho bere a meka asɛmpa no, efisɛ ɛyɛ ɔhyɛ ma me sɛ menka. Na sɛ manka asɛmpa no a, mehu amane.

For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

17 Sɛ mifi me pɛ mu yɛ adwuma no a, na ɛsɛ sɛ mehwɛ akatua anim. Nanso meyɛ no sɛ mʼadwuma, efisɛ, Onyankopɔn na ɔde ato me so.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

18 Ɛno de, na akatua bɛn na ɛsɛ sɛ minya? Ɛyɛ ahohoahoade sɛ wobɛka asɛmpa no na wunnye hwee na wummisa kyɛfa biara nso.

What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless [to others], so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in [announcing] the glad tidings.

19 Mede me ho; menyɛ obi akoa. Nanso meyɛ me ho obiara akoa sɛnea mɛsakra akra dodow biara a metumi.

For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible].

20 Bere a me ne Yudafo te no, meyɛɛ me ho sɛ Yudani, sɛnea mɛtwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Metenaa ase sɛnea Mose Mmara di me so, mmom na mankasa nhyɛ mmara no ase de, sɛnea mɛtwetwe wɔn a wɔhyɛ saa Mmara no ase aba me nkyɛn.

And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:

21 Saa ara na mekɔfraa amanamanmufo mu no nso meyɛɛ me ho sɛ wɔn ara pɛ, sɛnea metumi atwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Eyi nkyerɛ sɛ minni Onyankopɔn mmara so; mehyɛ Kristo mmara ase.

to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ, ) in order that I might gain [those] without law.

22 Wɔn a wɔn gyidi yɛ mmerɛw no, meyɛɛ sɛ wɔn ara, sɛnea mɛtwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Meyɛɛ me ho sɛnea ɛfata biara maa nnipa nyinaa, sɛnea metumi afa ɔkwan biara a ɛbɛyɛ yiye so agye wɔn mu bi nkwa.

I became to the weak, [as] weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

23 Asɛmpa no nti na meyɛɛ eyinom nyinaa na manya mu nhyira bi.

And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

24 Munim sɛ mmirika akansi mu, mmirikatufo no nyinaa tu mmirika no bi, nanso wɔn mu baako pɛ na onya abasobɔde no. Enti tu mmirika no sɛnea ɛbɛma woanya abasobɔde no.

Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

25 Obiara a osi agodi mu akan no siesie ne ho yiye ma akansi no. Ɔyɛ saa sɛnea obenya ahenkyɛw a ɛrenkyɛ, nanso yɛn de yi de, ɛbɛkyɛ akosi daapem nyinaa.

But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

26 Ɛno nti na meretu mmirika kɔ mʼanim tee akowie no. Ɛno nti na mete sɛ okuturukuboni a ne kuturuku mfom no.

I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

27 Mebɔ mmɔden hyɛ me nipadua so na midi no nya, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, sɛ meka asɛmpa no kyerɛ afoforo a me nso merenyɛ nea ɛmfra.

But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.