Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas9:5 That is, Peter? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”9:9 Deut. 25:4 Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
The Need for Self-Discipline
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Àwọn ẹ̀tọ́ aposteli
19.1: 1Kọ 9.19; 2Kọ 12.12; 1Tẹ 2.6; Ap 9.3,17; 1Kọ 15.8.Èmi kò ha ni òmìnira bí? Èmi kò ha ń ṣe aposteli bí? Èmi kò ha ti rí Jesu Olúwa bí? Ẹ̀yìn ha kọ́ ní èrè iṣẹ́ mi nínú Olúwa bí? 2Ní ìrònú àwọn ẹlòmíràn, èmi kì í ṣe aposteli. Dájúdájú aposteli ni mo jẹ́ fún un yín, tí n kì bá ṣe fún àwọn ẹlòmíràn. Nítorí èdìdì iṣẹ́ aposteli mi ni ẹ̀yin jẹ́ nínú Olúwa.
3Èyí ni ìdáhùn mi sí àwọn tí ń béèrè ẹ̀tọ́ aposteli mi. 49.4: 1Kọ 9.14.Ṣé a kò ní ẹ̀tọ́ láti máa jẹ àti láti máa mu bí? 59.5: 1Kọ 7.7-8; Mt 12.46; 8.14; Jh 1.42.Ṣé àwa kò ní ẹ̀tọ́ láti máa mú ìyàwó tí í ṣe onígbàgbọ́ káàkiri gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwọn aposteli mìíràn? Àti bí arákùnrin Olúwa, àti Kefa. 69.6: Ap 4.36.Ṣé èmi nìkan àti Barnaba, àwa kò ha ní agbára láti máa ṣiṣẹ́ bọ́ ara wa ni?
7Ta ni ó ṣíṣẹ́ ológun tí ó sanwó ara rẹ̀? Ta ní gbin ọgbà àjàrà tí kì í jẹ nínú èso rẹ̀? Tàbí ta ní ń bọ ọ̀wọ́ ẹran tí kì í sí ì jẹ nínú wàrà ọ̀wọ́ ẹran? 8Èmi ha sọ nǹkan wọ̀nyí bí ènìyàn? Tàbí òfin kò wí bákan náà bì? 99.9: De 25.4; 1Tm 5.18.Nítorí nínú òfin tí Ọlọ́run fún Mose, ni a tí kọ ọ́ pé, “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ di màlúù ti ń tẹ ọkà lẹ́nu.” Ǹjẹ́ màlúù ni Ọlọ́run n ṣe ìtọ́jú rẹ̀ bi? 109.10: 2Tm 2.6.Dájúdájú ó sọ eléyìí fún wa pé, nítorí wa ni a ṣe kọ̀wé yìí kí ẹni tí ń tulẹ̀ lè máa tulẹ̀ ní ìrètí àti ẹni tí ń pakà lè ni ìrètí láti ní ìpín nínú ìkórè. 119.11: Ro 15.27.Bí àwa ti fún irúgbìn ohun ti ẹ̀mí sínú ọkàn yín, ohun ńlá ha ni bí àwa ó ba ká ohun ti yín tí ṣe ti ara? 129.12: 2Kọ 6.3.Bí àwọn ẹlòmíràn bá ní ẹ̀tọ́ tí ìrànlọ́wọ́ sì wá láti ọ̀dọ̀ yín, àwa ha kọ́ ni ó tọ́ sí jù?
Ṣùgbọ́n àwa kò lo agbára yìí ṣùgbọ́n àwa faradà ohun gbogbo, kí àwa má ba à ṣe ìdènà fún ìhìnrere Kristi.
139.13: De 18.1.Ǹjẹ́ ó yé e yín pé Ọlọ́run sọ fún àwọn tí ó ń ṣiṣẹ́ nínú tẹmpili pé kí wọ́n mú oúnjẹ tàbí àwọn ẹ̀bùn tí wọ́n mú wá fún òun, láti fi ṣe ìtọ́jú ara wọn? Àti àwọn tí ń dúró tí pẹpẹ wọn a máa ṣe àjọpín pẹ̀lú pẹpẹ. 149.14: Mt 10.10; Lk 10.7-8.Gẹ́gẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni Olúwa ti fi àṣẹ lélẹ̀ pé, àwọn tí ń wàásù ìhìnrere kí wọn sì máa jẹ́ nípa ìhìnrere.
159.15: 2Kọ 11.10.Síbẹ̀síbẹ̀ n kò ì tí ì lo irú àwọn ẹ̀tọ́ wọ̀nyí rí. Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èmi kò sì kọ ìwé yìí láti fi sọ fún un yín pé, mo fẹ́ bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í gbà irú nǹkan bẹ̀ ẹ́ lọ́wọ́ yín. Kí a sọ òtítọ́, ó sàn fún mi láti kú sínú ebi ju pé kí n sọ ògo tí mo ní láti wàásù nù. 16Nítorí pé bí mo ti ń wàásù ìhìnrere, kì í ṣe ohun tí mo lè máa ṣògo lè. Èmi kò tilẹ̀ le è ṣe é ní, kí a tilẹ̀ sọ pé mo fẹ́ kọ̀ ọ́ sílẹ̀. Ègbé ni fún mi tí mo bá kọ̀ láti wàásù ìhìnrere. 179.17: 1Kọ 4.1; Ga 2.7.Tó bá jẹ́ pé mò ń wàásù tinútinú mi, mo ní èrè kan, ṣùgbọ́n tí ń kò bá ṣe tinútinú mi, a ti fi iṣẹ́ ìríjú lé mi lọ́wọ́. 189.18: 2Kọ 11.7.Ní irú ipò báyìí, kín ni ẹ rò pé yóò jẹ èrè mi ni láti jẹ́? Èrè mi ní àgbàyanu ayọ̀ tí mo ń rí gbà nípa ìwàásù ìhìnrere láìgba owó lọ́wọ́ ẹnikẹ́ni, láìbéèrè ẹ̀tọ́ mi lọ́wọ́ ẹnikẹ́ni.
19Bí mo ti jẹ́ òmìnira tí ń kò sì darapọ̀ mọ́ ẹnikẹ́ni, mo sọ ara mi di ẹrú lọ́dọ̀ gbogbo ènìyàn, láti lè jèrè ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ sí i. 209.20: Ro 11.14.Nígbà tí mó wà lọ́dọ̀ àwọn Júù, mo dàbí ọ̀kan nínú wọn, kí wọn ba à lè tẹ́tí sí ìwàásù ìhìnrere mi àti ki n le jèrè wọn fún Kristi. Nígbà tí mo bá wà láàrín àwọn tó wà lábẹ́ òfin èmi kì í bá wọn jiyàn rárá (bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé èmi kò sí lábẹ́ òfin), kí èmi lè jèrè àwọn ti ń bẹ lábẹ́ òfin. 219.21: Ro 2.12,14.Nígbà tí mo bá wà láàrín àwọn tí kò sí lábẹ́ òfin, èmi náà yóò dàbí ẹni tí kò sí lábẹ́ òfin (èmi kì í ṣe aláìlófin sí Ọlọ́run, ṣùgbọ́n èmí ń bẹ lábẹ́ òfin Kristi), kí èmi le jèrè àwọn tí kò sí lábẹ́ òfin. 229.22: 2Kọ 11.29; Ro 15.1; 1Kọ 10.33; Ro 11.14.Nígbà tí mo bá wà láàrín àwọn aláìlera, èmi náà yóò di aláìlera, kí èmi lé jèrè àwọn aláìlera. Mo di ohun gbogbo fún gbogbo ènìyàn, kí èmi ba à lè gba díẹ̀ là lábẹ́ bí ó ti wù kí ó rí. 23Èmi sì ń ṣe ohun gbogbo nítorí ti ìhìnrere, kí èmi kí ó lè jẹ́ alábápín nínú rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú yín.
249.24: Hb 12.1.Ẹ̀yin kò mọ̀ pé, olúkúlùkù ẹni tí ó ní ipa nínú eré ìje ni ó máa ń sáré, ṣùgbọ́n ẹnìkan ṣoṣo ni ń gba ipò ẹ̀bùn tí ó ga jù. Nítorí náà, ẹ sá eré ìje yín kí ẹ ba à le borí. 259.25: 2Tm 2.5; 4.8; Jk 1.12; 1Pt 5.4.Gbogbo ẹni tí ó ń sáré ìje a máa lọ nínú ìsẹ́ra-ẹni tí ó lágbára. Wọ́n ń ṣe èyí láti gba adé ìdíbàjẹ́. Ṣùgbọ́n àwa ń sá eré ìje tiwa láti fi gba adé ọ̀run àìdíbàjẹ́ láéláé. 26Nítorí náà, mo ń sá eré ìje lọ sójú ààmì, kì í ṣe bí ẹni ti kò dá lójú. Mò ń jà kí n lè borí, kì í ṣe bí ẹni tí ń bá afẹ́fẹ́ jà. 27Ṣùgbọ́n èmi ń kó ara mi ní ìjánu, mo sì ń mú un wá sí abẹ́ ìtẹríba, pé lẹ́yìn tí mo ti wàásù fún àwọn ẹlòmíràn, nítorí ohunkóhun, kí èmi fún rara mi má ṣe di ẹni ìtanù fún ẹ̀bùn náà.
