Paul Defends His Ministry
1 I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you—I who am said to be meek and mild when I am with you, but harsh with you when I am away. By the gentleness and kindness of Christ 2 I beg you not to force me to be harsh when I come; for I am sure I can deal harshly with those who say that we act from worldly motives. 3 It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. 4 The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; 5 we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ. 6 And after you have proved your complete loyalty, we will be ready to punish any act of disloyalty.
7 You are looking at the outward appearance of things. Are there some there who reckon themselves to belong to Christ? Well, let them think again about themselves, because we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8 For I am not ashamed, even if I have boasted somewhat too much about the authority that the Lord has given us—authority to build you up, not to tear you down. 9 I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 Someone will say, “Paul's letters are severe and strong, but when he is with us in person, he is weak, and his words are nothing!” 11 Such a person must understand that there is no difference between what we write in our letters when we are away and what we will do when we are there with you.
12 Of course we would not dare classify ourselves or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. How stupid they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and they judge themselves by their own standards! 13 As for us, however, our boasting will not go beyond certain limits; it will stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us, and this includes our work among you. 14 And since you are within those limits, we were not going beyond them when we came to you, bringing the Good News about Christ. 15 So we do not boast about the work that others have done beyond the limits God set for us. Instead, we hope that your faith may grow and that we may be able to do a much greater work among you, always within the limits that God has set. 16 Then we can preach the Good News in other countries beyond you and shall not have to boast about work already done in someone else's field.
17 But as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast about what the Lord has done.” 18 For it is when the Lord thinks well of us that we are really approved, and not when we think well of ourselves.
Paulus me riyeura motjiungura tje tjouapostele
1 Nami, Paulus, me riyarikaṋa ku eṋe omuini ami ngu ku za owami ongozu, tji mbi ri puna eṋe, nu owami omukukutu, tji mbi ri kokure na eṋe. Mena ra Kristus ngu nouwa nomurisusuparise, me mu ningire nai: 2 Amu ndji ṋiṋikiza kutja mbi rire omukukutu tji mbe ya. Tjiri, ami me sora okutjita ombeze ku imba mbe tu pa ondjo yokutja tu tjita oviṋa komuhingo woundu. 3 Ouatjiri kutja oweṱe ovandu uriri, nungwari katu ru komuhingo woundu. 4 Imbi ovirwise mbi tu rwa na vyo kavirwise vyovandu, nungwari ovirwise ovinamasa vya Ndjambi, mbi hahaura omasa womunavita. Novirwise mbi tu nyona na vyo ombatasaneno yoposyo, 5 nu tu nata na vyo omarwisiro omeritongamise nge pirukira ondjiviro ya Ndjambi. Nouripura ngamwa auhe mbu pirukira Ndjambi tu u kambura kutja u kare nonḓuviro ku Kristus. 6 Nu tji mwa zu nokuraisa kutja onḓuviro yeṋu ye ura okuyenena, eṱe matu rirongerere okuvera ingwi okuhinonḓuviro akuhe.
7 Eṋe mu tara omunda umwe uriri wotjiṋa. Tji pe nomundu ngu me ritjiwa omuini kutja eye owa Kristus, nge ripure nawa kutja eye tjiri owa Kristus, eṱe wina oweṱe ova Kristus. 8 Nangarire kutja ami mbe rihivira imbwi ouvara tjinene Muhona mbwe tu pa, himee ṱohoṋi. Muhona we tu pa ouvara okutunga eṋe, nu kakumuhaṋa. 9 Ami opu mbi hi nokuvangera kutja pe munike aayo mbi kondja okumutirisa notutuu twandje. 10 Ku za nai nu: “Otutuu twa Paulus tu nomambo omakukutu nomazeu, nungwari eye omuini tje ri puna eṱe, ongozu, nomambo we opouriri.” 11 Omundu ngu ma tja nao, nga tjiwe nawa kutja kape nombangu pokati kaimbi mbi tu tjanga motutuu tji tu he ri po pu eṋe, na imbi mbi tu tjita tji tu ri puna eṋe.
12 Eṱe katu nokurora okurivara pokurisasaneka novandu tjiva mbe rihiva. Owo omayova! Ve risaneka notjisaneke tjawo oveni, nu ve risasaneka na wo oveni. 13 Nungwari momerihiviro wetu eṱe katu nakururuma okukapita imba pu twa sanekerwa. Nu momerihiviro wetu nga katu nakuungura okukapita mba Ndjambi pe tu pa. Nu wina mape hee otjiungura tjetu mokati keṋu. 14 Opu tu ha zire okururuma imba pu twa sanekerwa, indu tji twe ya ku eṋe. Eṱe hapo rukuru twe ere ku eṋe nOmbuze Ombwa ya Kristus. 15 Otji tu hi nakurihivira otjiungura tji tja ungurwa i ovandu varwe okururuma imba pu twa sanekerwa i Ndjambi. Eṱe tu nomaundjiro wokutja ongamburiro yeṋu mai ryamene ko, nokutja matu yenene okuungura otjiungura otjinene komeho mokati keṋu, aruhe atu hi nokururuma imba Ndjambi pe tu sanekera. 16 Punao otji matu yenene okuzuvarisa Ombuze Ombwa motukondwa tu tu ri mukuma mbwina weṋu, nu katu nokuhepa okurihivira otjiungura tji tja ungurwa i omundu warwe komeho wetu.
17 Nungwari omatjangwa maye tja: “Ingwi ngu ma vanga okurihiva, nge rihivire imbi Muhona mbya tjita.” 18 Omundu ngwi ngu varwa kutja omuṱakame eye ngwi ngu tangwa i Muhona, nungwari kaye ngwi ngu ritanga omuini.
