1 Corinthians 9

1 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]

Bhuli, nne nngabha nanngwana? Bhuli, nne nngabha ntume? Bhuli, nne nangaabhona a Yeshu Bhakulungwa bhetu? Bhuli, mmanganya kulundana kwenunji na Bhakulungwa nngabha kwa ligongo lya liengo lyangu?

2 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.

Ibhaga nne nngabha ntume kubhandunji bhana, ikabheje kwenu mmanganya nne ntume. Mmanganya ni ukong'ondelo gwa utume gwangu nkulundana kwenunji na a Kilishitu.

3 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].

Kwa bhene bhannugulanga bhala shingwiibheleketela ni nnei.

4 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]

Bhuli, twangali aki ja pegwa shalya na ya papila kwa liengo lyetu?

5 [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]

Bhuli, twangali aki ja longana naka jwankongwe Nkilishitu, malinga shibhatendanga mitume bhana, ashaalongo ajabhonji Bhakulungwa na nkali a Kepa?

6 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]]

Eu bhuli, nne na a Bhanabha ni tupingwa kamula liengo nkwiilolesheya indu yetu?

7 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].

Bhuli, linjola gani akwiilipila nnyene nniengo lyakwe? Gani apanda mishabhibhu analye iepo yakwe? Gani ashunga likundi anapapile mabhele ga likundi lyakwe?

8 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].

Bhuli, ngunabheleketa genega shigundupe? Bhuli, najalakwe shalia jikalugula nneyo peyo?

9 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]

Ishijandikwa nshalia ja a Musha, “Nnantabhe kang'wa ng'ombe alikubhata yalya.” Bhuli, penepo a Nnungu gubhabheleketaga ga ng'ombe?

10 [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].

Bhuli, a Nnungu bhakatuganishiyaga uwe pubhabhelekete nneyo? Elo, genega gashinkujandikwa kwa ligongo lyetu, pabha alima, na auna jula, bhowe bhakwetenje aki ja pata upambi gwa mauno.

11 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]

Monaga uwe tupandile mmbeju ja muntima munkumbi gwenunji, bhuli, ikabha sha mmbone uwe tupataga indu ya pashilambolyo kopoka kwenu mmanganyanji?

12 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.

Ibhaga ashimitume bhananji bhakwetenje aki ja jangutilwa na mmanganyanji, bhuli, uwe twangali aki kupunda bhanganyabho? Ikabheje uwe tushikujileka jene akijo, ikabhe twashinkwiipililila nkupinga tunajibhishile shigwegwe shoshowe Ngani ja Mmbone ja a Kilishitu.

13 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.

Mmanganya mmumanyinji kuti, bhaakamulanga liengo nniekalu bhanapatanga yalya nniekalu, na bhatendanga liengo lya bhishila mbepei pa shitala, bhanapatanga lipungu lya mbepeiyo.

14 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.

Nneyo peyo Bhakulungwa bhashiamulisha kuti, bhaalunguyanga Ngani ja Mmbone bhapatanje ya lamila Nngani ja Mmbonemo.

15 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].

Ikabheje, nne nangalonga yene akiyo wala jimo. Na wala ngajandika gegano nkupinga mbate yene akiyo, pabha kwangu nne, mbaya niiwile ikabheje nngabha mundu amone kuti ngunakwiiniya payoyo.

16 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.

Ibhaga ngulunguya Ngani ja Mmbone, lyenelyo nngabha lya kwiipunila, pabha njipegwa amuli. Numbe ole gwangu, monaga ngalunguye Ngani ja Mmbone!

17 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.

Ibhaga ngakamwile lyene liengoli kwa engwa kwangu, bhai ngalolele kulipwa, ikabheje ngaakamula kwa engwa kwangu, ikabhe ngunapinjikwa kukamula lyene liengoli.

18 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.

Bhai nshaala gwangu nndi? Nshaala gwangu ni nema ja lunguya Ngani ja Mmbone, gwangali kulonga aki yangu ya nkulunguya.

19 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].

Kwa nneyo, nkali nne nili nngabha nantumwa juka mundu jojowe, njikwiitenda nantumwa juka kila mundu, nkupinga naapatanje bhandu bhabhagwinji.

20 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].

Ku Bhayaudi nashinkutama mbuti Nanyaudi, nkupinga naapatanje Bhayaudi. Nguti, ku bhandu bha shalia, nashinkwiitenda mbuti mundu jwa shalia, nkali nili nngabha mundu jwa shalia, nkupinga naapatanje bhandu bha shalia.

21 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.

Kubhalinginji na shalia, nashinkutama mbuti nangali shalia, nkupinga naapatanje bhangalinginji na shalia. Nngabha kuti nangali shalia ja a Nnungu, ikabhe ngwete shalia ja a Kilishitu.

22 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].

Ku bhangalinginji mashili nngulupai, nashinkwiitenda mbuti nangali mashili, nkupinga naapatanje bhangalinginji mashilibho. Nashinkwiitenda kila shindu kubhowe, nkupinga kila mushiibhele, naatapulanje bhananji, munkumbi gwabhonji.

23 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].

Ngunatenda yowei ga ligongo lya Ngani ja Mmbone, nkupinga mbate mboka yakwe.

24 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].

Bhuli, nkakumumanyanga kuti pa lubhanja lwa ing'ando, bhowe bhanabhutukanga lubhilo, ikabheje apata upo jumope? Mmutukanje nneyo nkupinga mpatanje upo.

25 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].

Na kila abhutuka lubhilo, anakwiobhelesheya nileka yowe, bhanatendanga nneyo nkupinga bhapatanje shilemba shiangabhanika, ikabhe uwe tupate shilemba shangaangabhanika.

26 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.

Nneyo peyo numbe nne ngunabhutuka lubhilo, nkupinga ngombole, ngunakoma ubha nngabha mbuti akoma ubha pangali shindu.

27 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.

Ikabhe ngunakushiobhelesheya shiilu shangu ya ukomu, inabhe naalungushiyangaga bhananji, namwene nikanwa.