¹Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

¹Mimi Paulo mwenyewe ambaye naonekana kuwa mpole nikiwa pamoja nanyi, lakini mkali wakati nikiwa mbali nanyi, nawasihini kwa huruma na wema wake Kristo.

²But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

²Nawaombeni msinisababishe kuwa mkali wakati nitakapokuja, maana nina hakika naweza kuwa mkali kwa wote wale wanaotudhania kwamba tunaishi kidunia.

³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

³Kweli tunaishi duniani, lakini hatupigani vita kidunia.

⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁴Maana, silaha tunazotumia katika vita vyetu si silaha za kidunia, ila ni nguvu za Mungu zenye kuharibu ngome zote. Tunaharibu hoja zote za uongo,

⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

⁵na kubomoa kila kizuizi cha majivuno kilichowekwa kuipinga elimu ya Mungu; tunaziteka fikira zote na kuzifanya zimtii Kristo.

⁶And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

⁶Mkisha kuwa wakamilifu katika kutii, sisi tuko tayari kuadhibu kila namna ya kutotii.

⁷Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

⁷Ninyi hutazama mambo kwa nje tu. Je, yupo mtu yeyote anayedhani kwamba yeye ni wa Kristo? Sawa! Basi, afikirie vilevile kwamba sisi pia ni wa Kristo kama yeye alivyo wa Kristo.

⁸For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

⁸Hata kama nimezidi katika kujivuna kwangu juu ya ule uwezo aliotupa--uwezo wa kuwajenga na sio wa kubomoa--hata hivyo sijutii hata kidogo.

⁹That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

⁹Sipendi mfikiri kwamba nataka kuwatisha ninyi kwa barua zangu.

¹⁰For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

¹⁰Mtu anaweza kusema: "Barua za Paulo ni kali na zenye maneno mazito, lakini yeye mwenyewe anapokuwa pamoja nasi ni mtu dhaifu, na hata anapoongea maneno yake ni kama si kitu."

¹¹Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

¹¹Mtu asemaye hivyo heri akumbuke kwamba hakuna tofauti ya yale tunayoandika katika barua wakati tuko mbali, na yale tutakayofanya wakati tutakapokuwa nanyi.

¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

¹²Kwa vyovyote hatungethubutu kujiweka au kujilinganisha na wale watu wanaojisifia wenyewe. Watu wenye kujifanya wao kuwa kipimo cha kujipimia, na watu wanaojilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, ni wapumbavu.

¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

¹³Lakini sisi hatutajivuna kupita kiasi; kujivuna huko kutabaki katika kile kipimo cha kazi aliyotukabidhi Mungu, kazi ambayo tunaifanya pia kwenu.

¹⁴For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

¹⁴Na kwa vile ninyi mu katika mipaka hiyo, hatukuipita tulipokuja kwenu, tukiwaleteeni Habari Njema juu ya Kristo.

¹⁵Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

¹⁵Basi, hatujivunii kazi waliyofanya wengine zaidi ya kipimo tulichopewa; ila tunatumaini kwamba imani yenu itazidi miongoni mwenu kufuatana na kipimo alichotuwekea Mungu.

¹⁶To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

¹⁶Hapo tutaweza kuihubiri Habari Njema katika nchi nyingine, mbali nanyi; na haitakuwa shauri la kujivunia kazi waliyofanya watu wengine mahali pengine.

¹⁷But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

¹⁷Lakini kama yasemavyo Maandiko: "Mwenye kuona fahari na aone fahari juu ya alichofanya Bwana."

¹⁸For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

¹⁸Anayekubaliwa si yule anayejisifu mwenyewe, bali yule anayesifiwa na Bwana.