¹保罗阐明他的权柄与工作

¹And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you — through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ — who in presence, indeed [am] humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

²求你们使我在你们那里的时候，不要满有自信地放胆对你们，我认为要以这样的自信，勇敢地对付那些以为我们是照着世俗的标准（“世俗的标准”原文作“肉体”）行事的人。

²and I beseech [you], that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

³我们虽然在世上行事，却不是按照世俗的方式作战，

³for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,

⁴因为我们作战所用的兵器，不是属于这世界的，而是在　神面前有能力的，可以攻陷坚固的堡垒，

⁴for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

⁵攻破诡辩，和做来阻挡人认识　神的一切高墙，并且把一切心意夺回来，顺服基督。

⁵reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

⁶我们已经准备好了，等你们完全顺服的时候，就惩罚所有不顺从的人。

⁶and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

⁷你们看事情，只看表面。如果有人自信是属于基督的，他就应该再想一想：他是属于基督的，同样，我们也是属于基督的。

⁷The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ`s, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ`s, so also we [are] Christ`s;

⁸主把权柄赐给我们，是为了要造就你们，不是要破坏你们，就算我为这权柄夸口过分了一点，也不会觉得惭愧。

⁸for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

⁹不要以为我写信是用来吓你们。

⁹that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,

¹⁰因为有人说：“他的信又严厉又强硬，他本人却气貌不扬，言语粗俗。”

¹⁰`because the letters indeed — saith one — [are] weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.`

¹¹说这话的人要想一想，我们不在你们那里的时候，信上怎样写，我们来到的时候也会怎样作。

¹¹This one — let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, [we are] in deed.

¹²我们不敢和那些自我推荐的人相提并论；他们拿自己来量自己，拿自己来比自己，实在不大聪明。

¹²For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

¹³我们所夸的，并没有越过范围，而是在　神量给我们的界限之内；这界限一直延伸到你们那里。

¹³and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us — to reach even unto you;

¹⁴如果我们没有到过你们那里，现在就自夸得过分了；但事实上，我们早就把基督的福音传到你们那里了。

¹⁴for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,

¹⁵我们并没有越过范围，拿别人的劳苦来夸口。我们盼望随着你们信心的增长，我们的界限就因你们而大大扩展，

¹⁵not boasting of the things not measured, in other men`s labours, and having hope — your faith increasing — in you to be enlarged, according to our line — into abundance,

¹⁶使我们可以把福音传到你们以外的地方。别人在他的界限以内所完成的工作，我们不会拿来夸口的。

¹⁶in the [places] beyond you to proclaim good news, not in another`s line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;

¹⁷夸口的应当靠着主夸口，

¹⁷and he who is boasting — in the Lord let him boast;

¹⁸因为蒙悦纳的，不是自我推荐的人，而是主所推荐的人。

¹⁸for not he who is commending himself is approved, but he whom the Lord doth commend.