1 Ukorintiyawa 9

1 Na meng in shutu ba? Na Meng gono katawari ba? Na Meng wa yene Yisa Cikilari bite ba? Na anug hère katuwa nacara nighere nan nya Ncikilari ba?

Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen our Lord Jesus? Are not you yourselves my work achieved in union with the Lord?

2 Andi na Meng gono kadurari kiti namon ba, ai kiti mine ndi, bara anughere ba dursu annit meng gono kadura, nan nya Ncikilari.

If I am not an Apostle to others, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal that stamps me as an Apostle in union with the Lord.

3 Ulelere ukesu kiti nale nge na udi dumu zuni.

The defence that I make to my critics is this:

4 Na arike nwanya tileoti sono ba?

Have not we a right to food and drink?

5 Na wanya yira awani ba anan nyinnu Kutellẹ nafo kagisin nanan kadura, nin nuwana nan nya Ncikilari ame Bitrus.

Have not we a right to take a wife with us, if she is a Christian, as the other Apostles and the Master’s brothers and Kephas all do?

6 Sa Barnabas nin mi arikere ba su katuwa casa?

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to give up working for our bread?

7 Ghari di katuwa nafo kusoja, ame leo nin litime? Ghari ba bilisu imon nan nya a wanya aleo ba? Sa Ghari basu libiya ninab sa uwuru asonu madare?

Does any one ever serve as a soldier at his own expense? Does any one plant a vineyard and not eat its produce? Or does any one look after a herd and not drink the milk?

8 Ndi belle ule imone bara likara nnit usurne? Na uduka bellin nano ba?

Am I, in all this, speaking only from the human standpoint? Does not the Law also say the same?

9 Nafo na udi ninyerte nduka Musa, “Yenje uwa tursu fina unu kubi na adi katuwa kunen nileo.” Kidege innari cas Kutellẹ min nania?

For in the Law of Moses it is said — ‘Thou shalt not muzzle a bullock while it is treading out the grain.’ Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of?

10 Na ame din nliru kitene bite ba? Iwa nyertin bara arikere, bara ulle na adi nikawa na asu nin ti kibinai, unan su kinorso na asu nin ti kibinai nworu aba se kubi ngirbe.

Or is not is said entirely for our sakes? Surely it was written for our sakes, for the ploughman ought not to plough, nor the thrasher to thrash, without expecting a share of the grain.

11 Asa ti bilisa imon Ruhu nanya mine, uba yitu gbardang kagha arike nwase imon lisosin nye kiti mine?

Since we, then, sowed spiritual seed for you, is it too much that we should reap from you an earthly harvest?

12 Andi amon di pirizu imon na idi imine kiti mine, na arike dumun nile na ikatin ba? Na nanere ba, na tina se ileli imone ba. Tima teru ayi bara ti wa wantin uliru nlai Kristi.

If others share in this right over you, do not we even more? Still we did not avail ourselves of this right. No, we endure anything rather than impede the progress of the Good News of the Christ.

13 Na anug yiru ba nworu allenge na idin su katuwa kutyin nlira iba se imonli mine kutyin nlire? Inung alle na idi katuwa kitene nbadagi, adi nli imonli me kikene bagade?

Do not you know that those who do the work of the Temple live on what comes from the Temple, and that those who serve at the altar share the offerings with the altar?

14 Nanere, Kutellẹ wa ni uduka aworo ulle na adin bellu nlai, iba se imonli me kiti nbellu nliru nlai.

So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the Good News should get their living from the Good News.

15 Vat nin nani, nan nsa se imomon nanya nile imone vatt ile imone bara inan su menku imomon ba, ukatin nku nin nworo anung yene ufo figiri nighe so uhem.

I, however, have not availed myself of any of these rights. I am not saying this to secure such an arrangement for myself; indeed, I would far rather die — Nobody shall make my boast a vain one!

16 Asa ndin bellu uliru nlai, na nile imon na iba fo figiri ba, bara ikifoi nsu nani, kash nin mi asa na nbelle uliru a nlai ba.

If I tell the Good News, I have nothing to boast of, for I can but do so. Woe is me if I do not tell it!

17 Bare nwa su illenge imone nani nin kibinai kirum, mba seru ulada andi na nin kibinai kirum ba ndu nin katuwa kanga na iwa nie.

If I do this work willingly, I have a reward; but, if unwillingly, I have been charged to perform a duty.

18 Iyaghari ulada nighe? nworu uwa bellu uliru nlai meng ba ni uliru nlai sa useru nimomon, nan baseru ile imon na nyene inaghari nanya nliru kulelle.

What is my reward, then? To present the Good News free of all cost, and so make but a sparing use of the rights which it gives me.

19 Bara nani meng shutu na cara na nit vat, nlawa kucin kiti nanit vat, bara nnan wunno annit vat.

Although I was entirely free, yet, to win as many converts as possible, I made myself everyone’s slave.

20 Kiti na yahudawa so nafo kuyahudawa, bara nna wuno ayahudawa, kiti na ilenge na imin nduka, nso nafoo allenge na imin (vat nin nani, na meng min ushara ba) nnan wunun alle na imnin ushara.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews. To those who are subject to Law I became like a man subject to Law — though I was not myself subject to Law — to win those who are subject to Law.

21 Kiti nale na isali nin nshara, meng wan so nafo unan nsalin nshara. (na Meng litinighe na nta unan nsalin nshara ba kiti Kutellẹ ndi nanya nduka Kristi) nnan wunno alle na isali nan nya nshara.

To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law — not that I am free from God’s Law; no, for I am under Christ’s Law — to win those who have no law.

22 Kiti nan nsali likara, meng so unan sali likara anan sali likara nso imon vat kiti anit vat bara ko niyagh Meng tucu among.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so as at all costs to save some.

23 Nchin su imon vat bbara ubellen nliru Kutellẹ, bara Meng ma nan se upiru nan nya imari me.

And I do everything for the sake of the Good News, that with them I may share in its blessings.

24 Na anung yiru nwo nanyan cum vat anang cume din su ucume, ama waseme minere asa asere uduke? Bara nani sun ucum ilii uduke.

Do not you know that on a race-course, though all run, yet only one wins the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

25 Unan katwa ncum din zulu kidowo me ayita nin minu nnu nanyan vat nzulu kidowo me. Inung dinsu iseru uduk ulenge na udin nanuzu, ama arik din cum tinan seru uduk un salin nanuzu.

Every athlete exercises self-restraint in everything; they, indeed, for a crown that fades, we for one that is unfading.

26 Bara nani, na meng din cum sa ukpiluzu ba a na ndas libau nfunu ba.

I, therefore, run with no uncertain aim. I box — not like a man hitting the air.

27 Ama meng kifu kidowo ning nning ta kinin kucin, bara kimalin wazi ninghe kiti namong, na meng wang iwa nazue mung ba.

No, I bruise my body and make it my slave, lest I, who have called others to the contest, should myself be rejected.