“If I preach
The gospel,
This gives me no ground
For boasting.
An obligation
Was laid upon me.
Woe to me
If I do not preach the gospel!”
ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι, οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα· ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται· οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι.
Paul said that if he preached the gospel (ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι), this gave him no ground for boasting (οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα). An obligation was laid upon him (ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται·). Woe to him if he did not preach the gospel (οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι)! Only the Pauline letters used this word καύχημά, that means to boast, boasting, or a ground for boasting. Paul explained that his preaching of the gospel of Jesus was not any grounds for boasting. This was an obligation to him, not his choice. He would be cursed if he did not preach the good news about Jesus Christ. Paul was not doing voluntary work, but he was assigned a mission directly from Christ. Do you feel that you have a mission from Jesus Christ?
