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.
Paul Defends His Work for Christ
1 Do you think I am a coward when I am with you and brave when I am far away? Well, I ask you to listen, because Christ himself was humble and gentle. 2 Some people have said we act like the people of this world. So when I arrive, I expect I will have to be firm and forceful in what I say to them. Please don't make me treat you that way. 3 We live in this world, but we don't act like its people 4 or fight our battles with the weapons of this world. Instead, we use God's power that can destroy fortresses. We destroy arguments 5 and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ. 6 And when you completely obey him, we will punish anyone who refuses to obey.
7 You judge by appearances. If any of you think you are the only ones who belong to Christ, then think again. We belong to Christ as much as you do. 8 Maybe I brag a little too much about the authority that the Lord gave me to help you and not to hurt you. Yet I am not embarrassed to brag. 9 And I am not trying to scare you with my letters. 10 Some of you are saying, “Paul's letters are harsh and powerful. But in person, he is a weakling and has nothing worth saying.” 11 Those people had better understand that when I am with you, I will do exactly what I say in my letters.
12 We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. 13 We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work. 14 We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.
15 We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you. That has always been our goal. 16 Then we will be able to preach the good news in other lands where we cannot take credit for work someone else has already done. 17 The Scriptures say, “If you want to brag, then brag about the Lord.” 18 You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval.
