1 Korintofoɔ 9

1 Menne me ho anaa? Menyɛ ɔsomafoɔ anaa? Menhunuu Yesu yɛn Awurade anaa? Na monyɛ me nsa ano adwuma wɔ Awurade mu anaa?

Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen the Lord Jesus? are you not my work in the Lord?

2 Na sɛ afoforɔ mpo nnye me ntom sɛ ɔsomafoɔ a, mo deɛ, mogye me tom saa. Sɛdeɛ mo ankasa mo abrabɔ te wɔ Awurade mu no di ho adanseɛ sɛ meyɛ ɔsomafoɔ.

If I am not an apostle to others, but I am to you at least: for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

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

My defence to those calling me in question is this.

4 Menni ho ɛkwan sɛ mʼadwuma enti, wɔma me aduane di ma me nsuo nom anaa?

Have we not a right to eat and drink?

5 Menni ho ɛkwan sɛ meyɛ deɛ asomafoɔ a aka no yɛeɛ no bi, sɛdeɛ Awurade nuanom ne Petro yɛeɛ, na meware Okristoni baa de no ka me ho tu mʼakwan yi?

Have we not a right to lead about a sister as a wife, as the other apostles also, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

Have I and Barnabas alone not the right to forbear working?

7 Ɔsraani bɛn na ɔtua ɔno ankasa ne ho ka wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔdi sraa? Okuafoɔ bɛn na ɔnni nʼafuo mu nnɔbaeɛ bi? Odwanhwɛfoɔ bɛn na ɔnnom ne nnwan a ɔyɛn wɔn no nufosuo bi?

Whoever goes to war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and does not eat the fruit of it? or who shepherdizes a flock, and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

8 Ɛnsɛ sɛ meti nhwɛsoɔ a ɛwɔ yɛn abrabɔ dada no mu ɛfiri sɛ, Mmara no ka asɛm korɔ no ara.

Whether do I speak these things according to a man? or does not the law indeed say these things?

9 Yɛkan wɔ Mose Mmara no mu sɛ, “Sɛ wode nantwie retiatia aburoo so a, nkyekyere nʼano.” Nantwie ho asɛm na ɛhia Onyankopɔn anaa?

For in the law of Moses it has been written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that plows. Is there a care to God for oxen,

10 Anaasɛ na asɛm a ɔreka no fa yɛn ho? Nokorɛm wɔtwerɛɛ yei de maa yɛn. Onipa a ɔfuntum ne deɛ ɔtwa aba no nyinaa, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn nyinaa yɛ wɔn adwuma sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔbɛnya wɔn kyɛfa wɔ wɔn dwumadie no mu.

or does he speak it altogether on account of us? For it was written on account of us, That the one plowing ought to plow in hope, and the one threshing in hope of partaking.

11 Yɛadua honhom aba wɔ mo mu na sɛ yɛnya ewiase nnepa firi mo nkyɛn a, ɛdɔɔso dodo anaa?

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

12 Na sɛ afoforɔ wɔ tumi sɛ wɔhwɛ yeinom anim firi mo nkyɛn a, yɛn deɛ, yɛnni tumi a ɛboro saa? Nanso, yɛnni saa tumi yi ho dwuma biara. Mmom, yɛatena ase saa ara sɛdeɛ yɛremfa suntidua biara nto asɛmpa a ɛfa Kristo ho no.

If others partake of your bounty, shall not we the more? But we have not used this privilege, but we bear all things, in order that we may not give a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

13 Monim sɛ wɔn a wɔyɛ adwuma wɔ asɔredan mu no nya wɔn aduane firi asɔredan mu, na wɔn nso a wɔbɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia so no nso nya wɔn afɔrebɔdeɛ.

Do you not know that those working in the sacrifices eat those things of the temple; and those serving the altar partake of the altar?

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

So also the Lord has commanded those preaching the gospel to live of the gospel.

15 Nanso, menkaa saa asɛdeɛ yi ho hwee. Ɛnyɛ sɛ meretwerɛ seesei sɛ meregye saa asɛdeɛ no afa. Ɛnneɛ anka mɛdi ɛkan mawu. Obiara rentumi mfa mʼasɛdeɛ no nni agorɔ.

But I have used none of these things. But I have not written these things that it may be so in me: for it is good for me rather to die than that any one shall make void my boasting.

16 Menni tumi sɛ, ɛsiane sɛ meka asɛmpa no enti, mehoahoa me ho. Mehyɛ mmara ase na meka asɛmpa no. Na sɛ manka asɛmpa no a, mɛhunu amane.

For if I preach the gospel, there is no boasting to me; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I may not preach the gospel.

17 Sɛ meyɛ adwuma no sɛdeɛ ɛfiri mʼankasa me pɛ mu a, na ɛsɛ sɛ mehwɛ akatua anim. Nanso meyɛ no sɛ mʼadwuma, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn na ɔde ato me so.

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if unwillingly, I have been intrusted with a dispensation.

18 Ɛnneɛ, na akatua bɛn na ɛsɛ sɛ menya? Ɛyɛ ahohoahoadeɛ sɛ wobɛka asɛmpa no na wonnye hwee na wommisa asɛdeɛ biara nso.

Then what is my reward? that preaching the gospel, I may render the gospel free from charge, in order that I may not use my right in the gospel.

19 Mede me ho; menyɛ obi akoa. Nanso, meyɛ me ho obiara akoa sɛdeɛ mɛsesa akra dodoɔ biara a mɛtumi.

For being free from all, I rendered myself servant to all, that I may gain the more.

20 Ɛberɛ a me ne Yudafoɔ te no, meyɛɛ me ho sɛ Yudani sɛdeɛ mɛtwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Mʼankasa nso na menhyɛ Mose Mmara ase, nanso metenaa ase sɛdeɛ Mose Mmara di me so sɛdeɛ mɛtwetwe wɔn a wɔhyɛ saa Mmara no ase aba me nkyɛn.

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I may gain the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, not myself being under law, that I may gain those under the law;

21 Saa ara na mekɔfraa amanamanmufoɔ mu no nso meyɛɛ me ho sɛ wɔn ara pɛ, sɛdeɛ mɛtumi matwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Yei nkyerɛ sɛ menni Onyankopɔn Mmara so; mehyɛ Kristo Mmara ase.

to those without law, I became as without law, not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, that I may gain those without law.

22 Wɔn a wɔn gyidie yɛ mmerɛ no, meyɛɛ sɛ wɔn ara sɛdeɛ mɛtwetwe wɔn aba me nkyɛn. Meyɛɛ me ho sɛdeɛ ɛfata biara maa nnipa nyinaa, sɛdeɛ mɛtumi afa ɛkwan biara a ɛbɛyɛ yie so magye wɔn mu bi nkwa.

To the weak I became as weak, that I may gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I may indeed save some.

23 Asɛmpa no enti na meyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa na manya mu nhyira bi.

But I do all these things for the sake of the gospel, that I may be its fellow-partaker.

24 Monim sɛ mmirika akansie mu, mmirikatufoɔ no nyinaa tu mmirika no bi, nanso wɔn mu baako pɛ na ɔnya akradeɛ no. Enti, tu mmirika no ɛkwan bi so na nya akradeɛ no.

Do you not know that those running in the stadium, indeed all run, and one receives the prize? So run, that you may receive it.

25 Obiara a ɔsi agodie mu akan no siesie ne ho di mmara so. Ɔyɛ saa sɛdeɛ ɔbɛnya ahenkyɛ a ɛrenkyɛre, nanso yɛn deɛ yi deɛ, ɛbɛkyɛ akɔsi daapem nyinaa.

But every one contesting is abstinent in all things, they indeed also that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

26 Ɛno enti na meretu mmirika kɔ mʼanim tee akɔwie no. Ɛno enti na mete sɛ okuturukubɔni a ne kuturuku mfom no.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, do I thus fight not as beating the air:

27 Mebɔ mmɔden hyɛ me onipadua so na medi no nya, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, sɛ meka Asɛmpa no kyerɛ afoforɔ a me nso merenyɛ deɛ ɛmfra.

but I keep my body under, and enslave it, lest having preached the gospel to others, I myself may become disapproved.