The Work of the Apostles
1 Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways. 2 And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, 3 it doesn't matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don't judge myself. 4 I don't know of anything against me, but this doesn't prove I am right. The Lord is my judge. 5 So don't judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone's heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.
6 Friends, I have used Apollos and myself as examples to teach you the meaning of the saying, “Follow the rules.” I want you to stop saying one of us is better than the other. 7 What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can you brag? 8 Are you already satisfied? Are you now rich? Have you become kings while we are still nobodies? I wish you were kings. Then we could have a share in your kingdom.
9 It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. 10 Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. 11 Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. 12 We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. 13 When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world.
14 I am not writing to embarrass you. I want to help you, just as parents help their own dear children. 15 Ten thousand people may teach you about Christ, but I am your only father. You became my children when I told you about Christ Jesus, 16 and I want you to be like me. 17 This is why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church.
18 Some of you think I am not coming for a visit, and so you are bragging. 19 But if the Lord lets me come, I will soon be there. Then I will find out if the ones who are doing all this bragging really have any power. 20 God's kingdom isn't just a lot of words. It is power. 21 What do you want me to do when I arrive? Do you want me to be hard on you or to be kind and gentle?
Kiristu la kiilaalu
1 Wo to moolu ñanta ntolu muta la le ko Kiristu* la dookuulaalu, aniŋ Alla la kulloolu karafata mennu ma. 2 Bari niŋ feŋ karafata dookuulaa ma, a maarii ñanta foroyaa la le. 3 Bari niŋ alitolu waraŋ hadamadiŋ doolu ka n tuumi, wo mu kuundiŋ ne ti nte ye, baawo m buka hani m faŋo tuumi. 4 Nte maŋ feŋ loŋ, n sondomoo si n tuumi noo meŋ na, bari wo maŋ a yitandi ko, nte tilinta le. Maariyo le mu n kiitindirilaa ti. 5 Wo to, ali kana kiitiyo laa moo-wo-moo kaŋ, janniŋ waatoo be sii la. Ali Maariyo la naa batu, aduŋ a be feŋolu fintindi la maloo kono le, mennu be maaboriŋ diboo kono. Ate le be miiroolu waañaari la, mennu be hadamadiŋolu sondomoolu kono. Bituŋ moo-wo-moo be jayiroo soto la Alla bulu le, a ñanta meŋ soto la.
6 Baadiŋolu*, ŋa m faŋo niŋ Apollos le ke misaaloo ti ali ye, fo wo si ali karandi ka ñiŋ kumoo fahaamu ko, “Ali kana tambi kuwo la, meŋ be safeeriŋ.” Wo to le moo te a faŋ wara la ali kono ko, ate ye moo kiliŋ ne la kuwo warandi ka tambi doo la. 7 Jumaa le ye ite niŋ moo koteŋolu fatandi? Ite ye muŋ ne soto, meŋ maŋ ke soorifeŋo ti? Bari niŋ soorifeŋo le mu, muŋ ne ye a tinna i ka kibiri ko niŋ a maŋ ke soorifeŋo ti?
8 A munta le ko, alitolu wasata le fokabaŋ! Ali fankata le, aduŋ ali keta mansoolu le ti ǹ kooma! M be lafiriŋ ne, ali ye maraloo ke, fo ǹ niŋ ali si deŋ mansayaa la. 9 A munta m fee le ko, Alla ye makaamoo meŋ dii ntolu kiilaalu* la, a be moolu bee ye duuma le. Ǹ keta le ko moolu mennu kiitindita ka faa, baawo ǹ keta fele feŋo le ti duniyaa bee ye, malaayikoolu aniŋ moolu. 10 Ntolu mu toolewolu le ti Kiristu la kuwo kamma, bari alitolu mu ñaamendiŋolu le ti Kiristu kono. Ntolu lamfuta le, bari alitolu bambanta le. Ì ye ali horoma le, ì jututa ntolu la. 11 Hani ñiŋ waatoo la, m̀ be konkoriŋ ne, aduŋ m̀ be mindooriŋ ne. M̀ maŋ feetoofatoo soto. Ì ka m̀ buutee le, aduŋ m̀ maŋ taradulaa fanaa soto. 12 Ǹ ka dookuu baake m̀ buloolu le la ka baluu. Niŋ ì ye ǹ neŋ, ǹ ka neemoo duwaa ì ye le. Niŋ ì ye ǹ toora, ǹ ka wakiili le. 13 Niŋ ì ye faniyaa laa ǹ kaŋ, ǹ ka itolu jaabi mooyaa le kono. Ǹ keta suntukuŋo le ti duniyaa ye fo bii luŋo la, aniŋ jutunna feŋo meŋ maŋ ñoŋ soto.
Pawulu la daaniroo niŋ dandalaaroo
14 Kumoolu m be mennu safee kaŋ ali ye, ì daliiloo maŋ ke ka ali malundi, bari n lafita le ka ali dandalaa ko n na dindiŋolu, ŋa mennu kanu. 15 Hani niŋ ali ye kuluurilaa wuliwuloolu le soto Kiristu kono, ali ye faamaa kiliŋ doroŋ ne soto. Nte le keta ali faamaa ti Kiristu Yeesu kono, kaatu ali ye baluu kutoo soto ka bo niŋ kibaari betoo le la, ŋa meŋ kawandi ali ye. 16 Wo kamma la, ŋa ali daani le ka n na kuwo nikiŋ. 17 Ñiŋ daliiloo le ye a tinna, ŋa Timoti kii ka naa ali yaa, meŋ mu n kanuntewo niŋ n diŋo ti, meŋ foroyaata m ma Maariyo kono. A be ali hakiloo bulandi la n na siloolu la le, n ka mennu taamandi Kiristu kono, ko n ka ì karandi Yeesu la kafoolu ye ñaameŋ daa-wo-daa.
18 Doolu be alitolu kono jee, mennu naata ì faŋ sikandi ka a miira ko, nte te naa la ali yaa. 19 Bari niŋ Alla sonta, m be naa le, a te mee la faŋ. Bituŋ m be a je la le, ñiŋ faŋ wara moolu la semboo be ñaameŋ. Ì la kumoolu maŋ ke feŋ ti nte ye, 20 kaatu Alla la mansabaayaa maŋ ke kuma kenseŋo ti, bari semboo. 21 Saayiŋ duŋ, ali lafita muŋ ne la? N niŋ busoo si naa ali kaŋ baŋ, waraŋ fo kanoo niŋ mooyaa?
