1 Kolinitō 9

1 ‌ʻIkai ko e ʻaposetolo au? ʻIkai ʻoku ou ʻataʻatā? ʻIkai kuo u mamata kia Sisu Kalaisi ko hotau ʻEiki? ʻIkai ko ʻeku ngāue ʻakimoutolu ʻi he ʻEiki?

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 Kapau ʻoku ʻikai ko e ʻaposetolo au ki he niʻihi, ka ko e moʻoni ʻoku ou pehē kiate kimoutolu: he ko e fakaʻilonga ʻo ʻeku ngāue fakaʻaposetolo ʻakimoutolu ʻi he ʻEiki.

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 Ko ʻeku tala ʻa eni kiate kinautolu ʻoku ʻeke kiate au:

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 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku ʻiate kimautolu ke faʻiteliha ki he kai mo e inu?

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 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku mau faʻiteliha ki he taki fano ʻo ha tuofefine, pe ha uaifi, ʻo hangē ko e kau ʻaposetolo niʻihi, pea hangē ko e kāinga ʻoe ʻEiki, mo Kifasi?

[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 Pe ko au pe mo Pānepasa, ʻikai ʻoku ma faʻiteliha ke tuku ʻae ngāue?

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 Ko hai ʻoku ʻalu ke fai ʻae tau, kae totongi ia ʻe ia pe? Ko hai ʻoku tō ʻae ngoue vaine, kae ʻikai kai ʻe ia hono fua? Pea ko hai, ʻoku ne fafanga ʻae fanga manu, pea ʻikai kai hono huʻahuhu ʻoe fanga manu?

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 ‌ʻOku ou lea ʻaki ʻae ngaahi meʻa ni, ka ko e tangata pe? ʻIkai ʻoku pehē pe ʻae fono?

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 He kuo tohi ʻi he fono ʻa Mōsese, “ʻOua naʻa ke nonoʻo ʻae ngutu ʻoe pulu ʻoku malaki ʻae uite.” ʻOku tokanga ʻae ʻOtua ki he fanga pulu [pe]?

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 Kae ʻikai ʻoku pehē pe koeʻuhi ko kitautolu? Ko e moʻoni kuo tohi ia koeʻuhi ko kitautolu: koeʻuhi ko ia ʻoku ne keli, ʻoku totonu ʻene keli ʻi he ʻamanaki lelei; pea ko ia ʻoku ne aʻuaʻu ʻae uite, ke fai ʻi he ʻamanaki lelei, ke ne lavaʻi ʻaia ʻoku ne ʻamanaki lelei ki ai.

[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 Kapau kuo mau tūtuuʻi kiate kimoutolu ʻae ngaahi meʻa fakalaumālie, pea ko ha meʻa lahi koā ʻo kapau te mau utu hoʻomou ngaahi meʻa fakamaama?

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 Pea kapau ʻoku faʻa maʻu ʻiate kimoutolu ʻe he niʻihi ʻae meʻa totonu ni, ʻikai ʻoku totonu lahi ia kiate kimautolu? Naʻe ʻikai te mau fai ki he meʻa totonu ni; ka ʻoku mau kātaki ʻae meʻa kotoa pē, telia naʻa mau taʻofi ki he ongoongolelei ʻo Kalaisi.

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 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku mou ʻilo, ko kinautolu ʻoku ngāue ʻi he ngaahi meʻa tapu, ʻoku nau kai mei he falelotu lahi? Pea mo kinautolu ʻoku tauhi ʻi he ʻesifeilaulau, ʻoku nau ʻinasi fakataha mo e ʻesifeilaulau?

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 Pea kuo tuʻutuʻuni ʻe he ʻEiki ke pehē foki, ke ʻilonga ʻakinautolu ʻoku malangaʻaki ʻae ongoongolelei, ke nau maʻu ʻi he ongoongolelei ʻae meʻa ki he sino.

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 Ka kuo ʻikai te u ala ki he ngaahi meʻa ni: pea ʻoku ʻikai te u tohi ʻae ngaahi meʻa ni koeʻuhi ke fai pehē kiate au: he ʻoku lelei lahi ʻeku mate, ʻi he kau ʻe ha taha ke ne fakataʻeaongaʻi ʻeku vikiviki.

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 He neongo ʻoku ou malangaʻaki ʻae ongoongolelei, ʻoku ʻikai ko ia ʻoku ou vikiviki ai: he kuo tuku tonu ia kiate au; ʻio, ʻe malaʻia au, ʻo kapau ʻe ʻikai te u malangaʻaki ʻae ongoongolelei!

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 He kapau te u fai ʻae meʻa ni ʻo loto lelei pe, ʻoku ai haʻaku totongi: pea kapau [te u fai ]fakahohōloto pe, [ko ia ai pe], ka kuo vahe kiate au ha lakanga ngāue.

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 eni, ko e hā ai ʻeku totongi? [ʻA eni], ʻi heʻeku malangaʻaki ʻae ongoongolelei ke u ʻatu ai ʻae ongoongolelei ʻo Kalaisi taʻehatotongi mai, koeʻuhi ke ʻoua naʻaku ngāue kovi ʻaki ʻa ʻeku meʻa totonu ʻaʻaku ʻi he ongoongolelei.

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 He neongo ʻoku ou ʻataʻatā mei he tangata kotoa pē, ka kuo u fakatamaioʻeiki au ki he kakai kotoa pē, koeʻuhi ke u lavaʻi mai ʻae tokolahi hake.

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 Pea ne u hangē ko e Siu ki he kakai Siu, koeʻuhi ke u lavaʻi mai ʻae kakai Siu; ne u hangē kuo u moʻulaloa ki he fono kiate kinautolu naʻe moʻulaloa ki he fono, koeʻuhi ke u lavaʻi mai ʻakinautolu ʻoku moʻulaloa ki he fono;

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 Pea kiate kinautolu ʻoku masiva fono ʻo hangē ko e masiva fono au, (kae ʻikai teu masiva fono ki he ʻOtua, kae moʻulaloa ki he fono kia Kalaisi, ) koeʻuhi ke u lavaʻi mai ʻakinautolu ʻoku masiva fono.

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 Ne u hangē kuo u vaivai ki he vaivai, koeʻuhi ke u lavaʻi mai ʻae vaivai: kuo u hangē ko e meʻa kotoa pē ki he kakai kotoa pē, kau fakamoʻui ʻi he ngāue kotoa pē ʻae niʻihi.

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 Pea ʻoku ou fai pehē ni koeʻuhi ko e ongoongolelei, koeʻuhi ke u maʻumeʻa ai mo kimoutolu.

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 ‌ʻIkai ʻoku mou ʻilo, ko kinautolu ʻoku lele ʻi he fakapuepue ʻoku lele kotoa pē, ka ʻoku maʻu ʻe he tokotaha pe ʻae koloa? Ke pehē hoʻomou lele, koeʻuhi ke mou maʻu.

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 Pea ko e tangata kotoa pē ʻoku fai feinga ke ne ikuna, ʻoku anga fakapotopoto ia ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē. Pea ko e moʻoni ʻoku nau fai ia ke maʻu ʻae pale popongofua; ka ko kitautolu ʻae pale taʻefaʻapopo.

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 Ko ia ʻoku pehē pe ʻeku lele, kae ʻikai ʻi he fai noa; ʻoku pehē pe ʻeku fuhu, kae ʻikai hangē ha taha ʻoku tuki ʻae matangi:

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 Ka ʻoku ou tautea hoku sino, ʻo fakamoʻulaloaʻi ia: telia naʻa ai ha meʻa, ʻoka hili ʻeku malanga ki he kakai, teu hoko ai au ko e liʻaki.

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.