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

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

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

Have we not power to eat and to 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 power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

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

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power 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?

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

Say I these things as a man? or says not the law the same also?

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

Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should 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: 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 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 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 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 thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

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

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

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might 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 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 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 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 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 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 Asɛmpa no enti na meyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa na manya mu nhyira bi.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

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.

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 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.

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 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; so fight I, not as one that beats 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 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.