Epistula I ad Corinthios, 9

1. Non sum liber? Non sum apo stolus? Nonne Iesum Dominum nostrum vidi? Non opus meum vos estis in Domino?

1. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

2. Si aliis non sum apostolus, sed tamen vobis sum; nam signaculum apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino.

2. If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3. Mea defensio apud eos, qui me interrogant, haec est.

3. This is my defense to those who would examine me.

4. Numquid non habemus potestatem manducandi et bibendi?

4. Do we not have the right to our food and drink?

5. Numquid non habemus potestatem sororem mulierem circumducendi, sicut et ceteri apostoli et fratres Domini et Cephas?

5. Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

6. Aut solus ego et Barnabas non habemus potestatem non operandi?

6. Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

7. Quis militat suis stipendiis umquam? Quis plantat vineam et fructum eius non edit? Aut quis pascit gregem et de lacte gregis non manducat?

7. Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

8. Numquid secundum hominem haec dico? An et lex haec non dicit?

8. Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same?

9. Scriptum est enim in Lege Moysis: “Non alligabis os bovi trituranti”. Numquid de bobus cura est Deo?

9. For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

10. An propter nos utique dicit? Nam propter nos scripta sunt, quoniam debet in spe, qui arat, arare; et, qui triturat, in spe fructus percipiendi.

10. Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop.

11. Si nos vobis spiritalia seminavimus, magnum est, si nos carnalia vestra metamus?

11. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?

12. Si alii potestatis vestrae participes sunt, non potius nos? Sed non usi sumus hac potestate, sed omnia sustinemus, ne quod offendiculum demus evangelio Christi.

12. If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

13. Nescitis quoniam, qui sacra operantur, quae de sacrario sunt, edunt; qui altari deserviunt, cum altari participantur?

13. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

14. Ita et Dominus ordinavit his, qui evangelium annuntiant, de evangelio vivere.

14. In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

15. Ego autem nullo horum usus sum. Non scripsi autem haec, ut ita fiant in me; bonum est enim mihi magis mori quam ut gloriam meam quis evacuet.

15. But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting.

16. Nam si evangelizavero, non est mihi gloria; necessitas enim mihi incumbit. Vae enim mihi est, si non evangelizavero!

16. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

17. Si enim volens hoc ago, mercedem habeo; si autem invitus, dispensatio mihi credita est.

17. For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.

18. Quae est ergo merces mea? Ut evangelium praedicans sine sumptu ponam evangelium, ut non abutar potestate mea in evangelio.

18. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel.

19. Nam cum liber essem ex omnibus, omnium me servum feci, ut plures lucri facerem.

19. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

20. Et factus sum Iudaeis tamquam Iudaeus, ut Iudaeos lucrarer; his, qui sub lege sunt, quasi sub lege essem, cum ipse non essem sub lege, ut eos, qui sub lege erant, lucri facerem;

20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law -- though not being myself under the law -- that I might win those under the law.

21. his, qui sine lege erant, tamquam sine lege essem, cum sine lege Dei non essem, sed in lege essem Christi, ut lucri facerem eos, qui sine lege erant;

21. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law.

22. factus sum infirmis infirmus, ut infirmos lucri facerem; omnibus omnia factus sum, ut aliquos utique facerem salvos.

22. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23. Omnia autem facio propter evangelium, ut comparticeps eius efficiar.

23. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

24. Nescitis quod hi, qui in stadio currunt, omnes quidem currunt, sed unus accipit bravium? Sic currite, ut comprehendatis.

24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

25. Omnis autem, qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet; et illi quidem, ut corruptibilem coronam accipiant, nos autem incorruptam.

25. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26. Ego igitur sic curro non quasi in incertum, sic pugno non quasi aerem verberans;

26. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air;

27. sed castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo, ne forte, cum aliis praedicaverim, ipse reprobus efficiar.

27. but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.