1 VaKorinde 9

1 Handisi muapositori here? Handisi wakasununguka here? Handina kuona Jesu Kristu Ishe wedu here? Imwi hamusi basa rangu muna Ishe here?

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]

2 Kana ndisiri muapositori kuna vamwe, asi zvirokwazvo ndiri iye kwamuri; nokuti mucherechedzo wevuapositori hwangu ndimwi muna Ishe.

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.

3 Kuzvidavirira kwangu kune vanondinzvera ndeuku.

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].

4 Hatina simba here rekudya nekumwa?

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]

5 Hatina simba rekutenderera nehanzvadzi mudzimai sevamwewo vaapositori, nevanin'ina vaIshe naKefasi here?

[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]

6 Kana ndini ndega naBhanabhasi tisina kodzero yekusashanda here?

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]]

7 Ndiani anomboshanda muchiuto achizviripira mubairo? Ndiani anorima munda wemizambiringa, ndokusadya zvechibereko chawo? Kana ndiani anofudza boka akasadya zvemukaka weboka?

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].

8 Kuti zvinhu izvi ndinozvitaura semunhu? Kana murairo hautauriwo izvozvo here?

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].

9 Nokuti kwakanyorwa mumurairo waMozisi kuti: Usasunga muromo wenzombe inopura zviyo. Kuti Mwari ane hanya nenzombe?

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]

10 Kana anoreva zvirokwazvo nekuda kwedu? Nokuti kwakanyorwa nekuda kwedu, kuti anorima anofanira kurima mutariro, neanopura mutariro yake, kugoverwa mutariro.

[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].

11 Kana isu takadzvara kwamuri zvinhu zvemweya, chinhu chikuru here kana isu tichicheka zvinhu zvenyu zvenyama?

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]

12 Kana vamwe vachigovana kodzero pamusoro penyu, isu hativadariki here? Asi hatina kushandisa kodzero iyi, asi tinoitira moyo murefu zvese, kuti tirege kupa chipinganidzo kuevhangeri yaKristu.

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.

13 Hamuzivi here kuti avo vanoshumira pazvinhu zvitsvene vanodya zvetembere, vanorindira paaritari vanogovana nearitari here?

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.

14 Saizvozvo naIshe wakaraira kuti avo vanoparidza evhangeri, vararame neevhangeri.

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.

15 Asi ini handina kushandisa chimwe chezvinhu izvi; uye handina kunyora zvinhu izvi kuti zviitwe saizvozvo kwandiri, nokuti zviri nani kwandiri kuti ndife, pakuti umwe ashaise kuzvikudza kwangu maturo.

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].

16 Nokuti kunyange ndichiparidza evhangeri, handina chekuzvikudza nacho, nokuti faniro yakatakudzwa pamusoro pangu; asi ndine nhamo, kana ndisingaparidzi evhangeri.

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.

17 Nokuti kana ndichiita chinhu ichi ndichizvidira, ndine mubairo; asi kana ndisingadi, ndakabatiswa utariri.

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.

18 Ko mubairo wangu chii? Kuti kana ndichiparidza evhangeri ndiite kuti evhangeri yaKristu isabhadharwa, kuti ndirege kushandisa kodzero yangu zvakapfuurikidza muevhangeri.

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.

19 Nokuti ndakasununguka kune vese, ndizviite muranda kune vese, kuti ndiwane vazhinji kwazvo.

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].

20 Uye kuVaJudha ndakava semuJudha, kuti ndiwane VaJudha; kune vari pasi pemurairo seari pasi pemurairo, kuti ndiwane vari pasi pemurairo;

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].

21 kune vasina murairo seasina murairo (ndisati ndiri asina murairo kuna Mwari, asi mumurairo kuna Kristu), kuti ndiwane vasina murairo;

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.

22 kune vasina simba ndakava seasina simba, kuti ndiwane vasina simba; ndakava zvinhu zvese kune vese, kuti ndiponese vamwe nemitoo yese.

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].

23 Uye izvi ndinoita nekuda kweevhangeri, kuti ndive mugovani pairi.

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].

24 Hamuzivi here kuti vanomhanya munhangemutange vanomhanya vese, asi umwe anogamuchira mubairo? Mhanyai saizvozvo, kuti muuwane.

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].

25 Uye umwe neumwe anokwikwidza anozvidzora pazvinhu zvese; zvino ivo vanozviita kuti vagamuchire korona inoparara, asi isu isingaparari.

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].

26 Naizvozvo ini ndinomhanya saizvozvo kwete seasina chokwadi; saizvozvo ndinorwa kwete seanorova mhepo;

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.

27 asi ndinotsikirira muviri wangu nekuuita muranda, kuti kana ndaparidzira vamwe, ini ndomene ndisaraswa.

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.