免得基督的福音被阻隔 — 哥林多前書讀經隨筆 第9章

哥林多前書第九章第1—15節，保羅了解到哥林多教會有一些人懷疑他傳福音的合法性，於是保羅就辯護說假若他不是別人的使徒，但至少是哥林多教會的使徒，因為哥林多的弟兄們是保羅在主裏麵所作的工，是他在主裏作使徒的印證，因為主的福音是保羅傳給哥林多的弟兄們的。為了避免基督的福音被阻隔，保羅接著說，他其實也是有權柄靠福音生活的，也是有權柄像其他使徒一樣娶信主的姊妹為妻的，也是有權柄不做工的正像當兵的吃皇糧，栽葡萄的吃園裏的果子或者牧養牛羊的喝牛羊的奶一樣，因為主也是這樣命定的，即叫傳福音的靠著福音養生。然而，保羅說他卻沒有用過這權柄，相反，他凡事忍受，邊傳福音邊作工糊口，目的是免得基督的福音被阻隔。

林前9:1 我不是自由的麽．我不是使徒麽．我不是見過我們的主耶穌麽．你們不是我在主裏麵所作之工麽。
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren't you my work in the Lord?
林前9:2 假若在別人我不是使徒、在你們我總是使徒．因為你們在主裏正是我作使徒的印證。
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
林前9:3 我對那盤問我的人、就是這樣分訴。
My defense to those who examine me is this.
林前9:4 難道我們沒有權柄靠福音吃喝麽。
Have we no right to eat and to drink?
林前9:5 難道我們沒有權柄娶信主的姊妹為妻、帶著一同往來、彷佛其餘的使徒、和主的弟兄、並磯法一樣麽。
Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
林前9:6 獨有我與巴拿巴沒有權柄不作工麽。
Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
林前9:7 有誰當兵、自備糧餉呢．有誰栽葡萄園、不吃園裏的果子呢．有誰牧養牛羊、不吃牛羊的奶呢。
What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn't eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn't drink from the flock's milk?
林前9:11 我們若把屬靈的種子撒在你們中間、就是從你們收割奉養肉身之物、這還算大事麽。
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
林前9:12 若別人在你們身上有這權柄、何況我們呢．然而我們沒有用過這權柄、倒凡事忍受、免得基督的福音被阻隔。
If others partake of this right over you, don't we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.
林前9:13 你們豈不知為聖事勞碌的、就吃殿中的物麽．伺候祭壇的、就分領壇上的物麽。
Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar?
林前9:14 主也是這樣命定、叫傳福音的靠著福音養生。
Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
林前9:15 但這權柄我全沒有用過．我寫這話、並非要你們這樣待我．因為我寧可死、也不叫人使我所誇的落了空。
But I have used none of these things, and I don't write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.