1 VaKorinde 3

1 Zvino ini, hama, ndakange ndisingagoni kutaura nemwi sekune veMweya, asi sekune venyama, sekune vacheche muna Kristu.

My fellow believers, [when I was with you previously], I was not able to teach you as [I would teach people who are controlled by the Holy] Spirit {[whom the Holy] Spirit [controls]}. Instead, [I had to teach you as I would teach] people whom their self-directed nature controls. [I taught very simple concepts to you who had recently believed] in Christ, [as a parent would speak very simple words] to a baby.

2 Ndakakunwisai mukaka, uye kwete kudya kukukutu; nokuti makange musati mogona kudya, asi naikozvino hamusati mogona;

I did not [teach] you [things that were difficult for you to understand, just like a woman does not] give [her baby] solid food [that the baby cannot chew and digest]. [And just like a woman] ([gives her baby milk/breast-feeds her baby]), [I taught you simple spiritual concepts], because at that time you were not able to understand difficult things. And you are still not able to understand difficult concepts,

3 nokuti muchiri venyama; nokuti zvapachine godo pakati penyu, negakava nekupatsanurana, hamusi venyama, muchifamba zvinoenderana nemunhu here?

because you are still controlled by your self-directed nature. Some of you are jealous and quarreling. (That shows that your self-directed nature is controlling you!/Does not that prove your self-directed nature is controlling you?) [RHQ] It shows that [you are acting like] unbelievers act.

4 Nokuti kana umwe achiti: Ini ndiri waPauro, neumwe achiti: Ini waAporo, hamusi venyama here?

By some of you saying, “I am [loyal to] Paul,” and others saying, “I am [loyal to] Apollos,” (you show that [you are acting like] unbelievers./does not it show that [you are acting like] unbelievers?) [RHQ]

5 Ko Pauro chii, naAporo chii, asi vabati vamakatenda kubudikidza navo, Ishe sezvaanopawo umwe neumwe?

[So what you really ought to think about] Apollos and me [RHQ] is that we(dl) are merely men who serve God. As a result of our [telling you the message about Christ], you trusted in him. Both of us [(dl)] are merely doing the work that the Lord appointed us to do.

6 Ini ndakadzvara, Aporo wakadiridza, asi Mwari wakakurisa.

I was [the first one who preached God’s message to you. I was like] [MET] someone who plants seeds. [Later], Apollos [taught you more of God’s message. That was like] [MET] someone who waters plants [after they start to grow]. But it is God who [enables people to grow spiritually, just like he is the one who] causes [plants] to grow.

7 Naizvozvo anodzvara haasi chinhu, kana anodiridza, asi Mwari anokudza.

So [the person who first preaches God’s message to people is not important, and the person who later teaches people more of God’s message is not important, just like] [MET] it is not the person who plants [the seeds] or the person who waters [the plants] who is important. Instead, it is God, who causes plants to grow [and who causes people to grow spiritually, who is important].

8 Zvino anodzvara neanodiridza ndevamwe; asi umwe neumwe achagamuchira mubairo wake zvichienderana nebasa rake.

The person [who first preaches God’s message to people and the one who later teaches them more of God’s message] [MET] both (are [trying to reach the] same [goal]/have the same [purpose]). And [God] will reward each of them according to how they served him.

9 Nokuti tiri vashandi vaMwari pamwe naye; muri munda waMwari, chivakwa chaMwari.

Remember that Apollos and I are both working together for God. [You do not belong to us]. Just like a field [belongs to its owner, not to those who work in it], you belong to God, [not to us who work for him]. 1 Corinthians 3:9b-15 Also, a house belongs to its owner. [It does not belong to the man who built it. Similarly, God is the one to whom you belong].

10 Zvichienderana nenyasha dzaMwari dzakapiwa kwandiri, semuvaki nyanzvi wakachenjera ndakaronga nheyo, uye umwe anovaka pamusoro payo. Asi umwe neumwe ngaachenjerere kuti anovaka sei pamusoro payo.

[Just like] a skilled person puts a foundation in the ground [before he builds a house], as a result of God kindly helping me [MET], [I was the first one who declared the message about Christ to you. And, just like] others build a house on its foundation, there were [others who later taught you more about Christ]. But [just like each person who builds a house] must be careful about what materials he uses to build it [MET], each person [who teaches God’s truth must be careful about what he teaches].

11 Nokuti hakuna umwe anogona kuisa imwe nheyo kunze kweiyo yakaiswa, inova Jesu Kristu.

Just like people can put in [only] one foundation [for a house] [MET], [there is only one message that we can give to people. That message is about] Jesus Christ.

12 Zvino kana umwe achivaka pamusoro penheyo iyi, goridhe, sirivheri, mabwe anokosha, matanda, uswa, mashanga,

Furthermore, people can build a house on its foundation [with materials that are valuable and do not burn easily, such as] gold, silver, and expensive jewels. Or they could build a house with [materials that are not valuable and that burn easily, such as] wood, hay, and straw.

13 basa reumwe neumwe richaratidzwa; nokuti zuva richazvibudisa pachena, nokuti richazarurwa mumoto; uye moto uchaidza basa reumwe neumwe kuti rakadini.

Later it will become clear/evident what kind of material they used to build the house. [Similarly, when people teach others God’s truth], it will later become clear [what kind of things they taught]. [God] will make that clear/evident at the time [when he judges us] [MTY].

14 Kana basa raani nani raakavaka pamusoro payo richigara, achagamuchira mubairo.

When a fire [starts burning a house], it becomes clear whether the builders used [materials in their] work [that will burn, or materials that will not burn]. Similarly [MET], when God judges us, it will be clear whether we taught others things that were long-lasting and valuable or not. If [the materials that are used to] build a house [are materials that] do not burn, the builder will receive a reward [MET]. [Similarly, if we have taught others things that are valuable and long-lasting, God will give us a reward].

15 Kana basa raani nani richizopiswa, acharasikirwa; asi iye amene achaponeswa, asi saizvozvo sewakabuda nemumoto.

If [the things that we have taught] are not valuable and long-lasting [MET], [we will not get a reward]. We will be saved {[God] will save us} [from hell], but [that is all that we will get. We will be like a man who] escapes from a fire [without saving any of his possessions]. (questioned)

16 Hamuzivi here kuti muri tembere yaMwari, uye Mweya waMwari unogara mamuri?

You need to remember that God [is present among] you [(pl) as he was present in the] Temple [in Jerusalem]. [RHQ] God’s Spirit lives within you.

17 Kana ani nani achiparadza tembere yaMwari, Mwari achamuparadza iye; nokuti tembere yaMwari itsvene, yamuri imwi.

So, [just like] God will destroy anyone who tries to destroy his Temple, [he will destroy anyone who destroys the unity of a congregation. He will do that] because [he has set] you, [his people, apart for himself, just like he set] his Temple [apart for himself].

18 Ngakurege kuva neanozvinyengera; kana umwe pakati penyu achifunga kuti wakachenjera panyika ino, ngaave benzi, kuti ave wakachenjera. (aiōn g165)

Some among you think that you are wise because unbelievers thought you were wise previously. Stop deceiving yourselves. [If you really want to be wise, by accepting what God considers to be wise] you should [be willing to let unbelievers consider that you are] foolish [IRO]. (aiōn g165)

19 Nokuti uchenjeri hwenyika ino upenzi kuna Mwari. Nokuti kwakanyorwa kuchinzi: Anobata vakachenjera paumhare hwavo;

You should do that because things that unbelievers [consider to be] [IRO] wise, God considers to be foolish. [We can learn from] the Scriptures [what God says about] that: Those who think that they are [IRO] wise, he messes up their plans by the mistakes they make!

20 uyezve: Ishe anoziva ndangariro dzevakachenjera, kuti hadzina maturo.

And [we can learn from] these words of Scripture, The Lord considers as useless the thoughts of [humans who think that they are] [IRO] wise.

21 Naizvozvo ngakurege kuva neanozvikudza nevanhu; nokuti zvinhu zvese ndezvenyu,

So, stop boasting about [how good one Christian leader is or how good another Christian leader is]. All [of us(exc) exist as leaders only to help] you!

22 kana Pauro, kana Aporo, kana Kefasi, kana nyika, kana upenyu, kana rufu, kana zvinhu zviripo, kana zvinhu zvinouya; zvese ndezvenyu,

Specifically, do not boast about me, or about Apollos, or about Peter! Everything in the world exists to [benefit] you [believers]. Whether you live or whether you die, the things that are happening now or the things that will happen in the future, they are all to benefit you.

23 uye imwi muri vaKristu, naKristu ndewaMwari.

[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.