¹Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

¹ Ndax awma ndogal ci li may def? Ndax duma ndawul Kirist? Ndax gisuma Yeesu sunu Boroom? Xanaa du yéena soqikoo ci liggéey, bi ma Boroom bi sant?

²If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

² Su ma ñenn ñi tegul ndaw, moom laa ci yéen, ndaxte yéenay firnde jiy wone ne, ndawul Boroom bi dëgg laa.

³Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

³ Nii laay tontoo ñi may àtte:

⁴Have we not power to eat and to drink?

⁴ Xanaa sañunoo lekk ak a naan?

⁵Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

⁵ Xanaa sañunoo indaale jabar ju gëm Kirist, ni yeneen ndawul Kirist ak doomi ndeyu Boroom bi ak Sefas sax?

⁶Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

⁶ Walla boog man ak Barnabas rekk noo war a daan sunu doole?

⁷Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

⁷ Kan moo mas a solu soldaar ci pexey boppam? Kan mooy bey tool te du ci jariñu? Walla kan mooy sàmm jur te du naan ca soow ma?

⁸Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

⁸ Lii may wax, du ci yëfi doom Aadama rekk laa ko jukkee; xanaa du yoon wi it moo ko santaane?

⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

⁹ Ndaxte bind nañu ci yoonu Musaa ne: «Bul sunjuñ gémmiñu nag wu ñu takk ci bojjukaay.» Ndax mooy tekki nag ne, Yàlla dafa bàyyi xel nag yi?

¹⁰Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

¹⁰ Walla boog xanaa nun noo moom wax jooju? Waaw, noo tax ñu bind loolu. Noonu kuy bey war na am yaakaar, te kuy bojj di yaakaar a jot wàllam.

¹¹If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

¹¹ Nu ji ci yéen yëfi Xelum Yàlla, ba noppi góobe ci yéen yëfi àddina, ndax loolu dafa ëpp li nu war a séentu?

¹²If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

¹² Ndegam ñeneen a am sañ-sañ boobu ci yéen, nun kon waxi-noppi. Waaye nag jariñoowunu sañ-sañ boobu. Danuy far muñ lépp, ngir bañ a indi ndog ci yoonu xebaar bu baax bu Kirist bi.

¹³Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

¹³ Xanaa xamuleen ne, ñiy liggéeyal yëf yu sell yi, dañuy lekk ñam, wi ci kër Yàlla gi, te ñiy liggéey ci saraxalukaay bi, dañuy jot seen wàll ci sarax yi?

¹⁴Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

¹⁴ Naka noonu it Boroom bi digle na ne, ñiy yégle xebaar bu baax bi, nanu ci dund.

¹⁵But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

¹⁵ Waaye man jariñoowuma benn ci sañ-sañ yooyu, te binduma yëf yooyu, ngir ngeen di ma defal yu ni mel. Dee sax moo ma ko gënal — kenn du jële ci man mbir moomu may kañoo!

¹⁶For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

¹⁶ Su may yégle xebaar bu baax bi, mënuma cee kañu. Sas la, wu ñu ma sas. Dinaa torox, su ma yéglewul xebaar bu baax bi!

¹⁷For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

¹⁷ Su doon ci sama coobare laa yégle xebaar bu baax bi, man naa ci séentu yool. Waaye defuma ko ci sama coobare, ndaxte sas la, wu ñu ma sas.

¹⁸What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

¹⁸ Kon nag lan mooy sama yool? Xanaa di yégle xebaar bu baax bi ci dara, te bañ a jariñoo sañ-sañ boobu ma ci yelloo.

¹⁹For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

¹⁹ Gor laa te kenn moomu ma; teewul def naa sama bopp jaamu ñépp, ngir man a gindi nit ñu bare ci Kirist.

²⁰And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

²⁰ Ci biir Yawut yi, sol naa melow Yawut yi, ngir gindi leen. Man ci sama bopp yoonu Musaa jiitalu ma, terewul bi ma nekkee ci biir ñiy sàmm yoonu Musaa, sàmm naa yoon wa, ngir gindi leen.

²¹To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

²¹ Ci biir ñi nekkul ci yoonu Musaa, faalewuma woon yoon wi, ngir gindi leen; waxuma ne, ànduma ak yoonu Yàlla, waaye topp naa yoon ci sama bokk ak Kirist.

²²To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

²² Ci biir ñi néew ngëm, meloon naa ni ku néew ngëm, ngir gindi leen. Doon naa lépp ci ñépp, ngir def lépp lu ma man, ba ñenn mucc ci.

²³And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

²³ Damaa def loolu lépp ndax xebaar bu baax bi, ngir man it ma am wàll ci barkeem.

²⁴Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

²⁴ Xanaa xamuleen ne, ñépp ñooy daw cib rawante, waaye kenn rekk ay jël ndam li? Dawleen nag ngir jël ko.

²⁵And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

²⁵ Ñiy joŋante ci po muy waral tàggat yaram, dañuy xañ seen bopp lu bare. Dañu koy def, ngir am kaalag ndam gu dul yàgg; waaye nun danu koy def, ngir am kaalag ndam gu sax ba fàww.

²⁶I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

²⁶ Man nag noonu laay dawe, te duma dawantu. Noonu laay bëree, waaye duma def ni nit kuy dóor ci jaww ji.

²⁷But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

²⁷ Waaye damay noot sama yaram, ba moom ko, ngir ragal a yégal ñi ci des xebaar bu baax bi, ba noppi Yàlla xañ ma ndam li.