1 Corinthians 9

1 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]

¿No soy yo libre? ¿No soy yo apóstol? ¿No he visto a Jesús nuestro Señor? ¿No sois vosotros mi obra en el Señor?

2 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.

Si para otros no soy apóstol, a lo menos para vosotros lo soy; porque el sello de mi apostolado sois vosotros en el Señor.

3 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].

Esta es mi defensa contra los que me juzgan.

4 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]

¿No tenemos acaso derecho a comer y beber?

5 [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]

¿No tenemos derecho de llevar con nosotros una hermana, una mujer, como los demás apóstoles, y los hermanos del Señor, y Cefas?

6 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]]

¿O es que solo yo y Bernabé no tenemos derecho a no trabajar?

7 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].

¿Quién jamás sirve en la milicia a sus propias expensas? ¿Quién planta una viña y no come su fruto? ¿O quién apacienta un rebaño y no se alimenta de la leche del rebaño?

8 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].

¿Por ventura digo esto según el sentir de los hombres? ¿No lo dice también la Ley?

9 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]

Pues escrito está en la Ley de Moisés: “No pondrás bozal al buey que trilla”. ¿Es que Dios se ocupa ( aquí ) de los bueyes?

10 [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].

¿O lo dice principalmente por nosotros? Sí, porque a causa de nosotros fue escrito que el que ara debe arar con esperanza, y el que trilla, con esperanza de tener su parte.

11 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]

Si nosotros hemos sembrado en vosotros los bienes espirituales ¿será mucho que recojamos de vosotros cosas temporales?

12 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.

Si otros tienen este derecho sobre vosotros ¿no con más razón nosotros? Sin embargo, no hemos hecho uso de este derecho; antes bien, todo lo sufrimos, para no poner obstáculo alguno al Evangelio de Cristo.

13 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.

¿No sabéis que los que desempeñan funciones sagradas, viven del Templo, y los que sirven al altar, del altar participan?

14 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.

Así también ha ordenado el Señor que los que anuncian el Evangelio, vivan del Evangelio.

15 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].

Yo, por mi parte, no me he aprovechado de nada de eso; ni escribo esto para que se haga así conmigo; porque mejor me fuera morir antes que nadie me prive de esta mi gloria.

16 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.

Porque si predico el Evangelio no tengo ninguna gloria, ya que me incumbe hacerlo por necesidad; pues ¡ay de mí, si no predicare el Evangelio!

17 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.

Si hago esto voluntariamente tengo galardón; mas si por fuerza ( para eso ) me ha sido confiada mayordomía.

18 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.

¿Cuál es pues mi galardón? Que predicando el Evangelio hago sin cargo el Evangelio, por no ( exponerme a ) abusar de mi potestad en el Evangelio.

19 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].

Porque libre de todos, a todos me esclavicé, por ganar un mayor número.

20 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].

Y me hice: para los judíos como judío, por ganar a los judíos; para los que están bajo la Ley, como sometido a la Ley, no estando yo bajo la Ley, por ganar a los que están bajo la Ley;

21 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.

para los que están fuera de la Ley, como si estuviera yo fuera de la Ley —aunque no estoy fuera de la Ley de Dios, sino bajo la Ley de Cristo— por ganar a los que están sin Ley,

22 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].

Con los débiles me hice débil, por ganar a los débiles; me he hecho todo para todos, para de todos modos salvar a algunos.

23 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].

Todo lo hago por el Evangelio, para tener parte en él.

24 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].

¿No sabéis que en el estadio los corredores corren todos, pero uno solo recibe el premio? Corred, pues, de tal modo que lo alcancéis.

25 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].

Y todo el que entra en la liza se modera en todo; ellos para ganar una corona corruptible, y nosotros, en cambio, por una incorruptible.

26 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.

Yo, por tanto, corro así, no como al azar; así lucho, no como quien hiere el aire;

27 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.

sino que castigo mi cuerpo y lo esclavizo; no sea que, habiendo predicado a los demás, yo mismo resulte descalificado.