2 Corinthians 10
1 Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ – I who, ‘in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you’ –
我保祿──就是那在你們中面對面時就謙卑，不在的時候就對你們膽大的──親自藉基督的溫良和良善勸告你們，
2 I implore you not to drive me to ‘show my boldness,’ when I do come, by the confident tone which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you, who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives.
甚至求你們，不要叫我到你們那裏時，因果決而大了膽──這種果決，本來是我決意要對付那些，以我們為按照血肉而行事的人的──
3 For, though we live an earthly life, we do not wage an earthly war.
我們固然是在血肉中行事，卻不是按照血肉而交戰，
4 The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.
因為我們作戰的武器，不是屬於血肉的，而是憑天主有力的武器，足以攻破堅固的堡壘：攻破敵人詭計，
5 We are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God. We are taking captive every hostile thought, to bring it into submission to the Christ,
以及一切為反對天主的智識所樹立的高塞，並擄獲一切人的心意，使之基督；
6 and are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion, when once your submission is complete.
並且我們已準備停當，及至你們完全a寺，來懲罰一切的不服從。
7 You look at the outward appearance of things! Let anyone, who is confident that he belongs to Christ, reflect, for himself, again on the fact – that we belong to Christ no less than he does.
你們看看擺在眼前的事實罷! 如果自信是屬於基督的，他自己該再想想：他怎樣屬於基督，我們也怎樣是；
8 Even if I boast extravagantly about our authority – which the Lord gave us for building up your faith and not for overthrowing it – still I have no reason to be ashamed.
因為既便我對我們的權柄有一點過份的誇耀──這權柄是由主所賜與，為建樹，而不是為破壞你們的──我也不羞愧，
9 I say this so that it doesn’t seem as if I am trying to overawe you by my letters.
免得有人以為我好像只會藉著書信來恐嚇你們。
10 For people say ‘His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible.’
因為有人說：「他的書信的確嚴厲而又強硬，但他本人在時卻軟弱無能，言語又空洞可輕。」
11 Let such a person be assured of this – that our words in our letters show us to be, when absent, just what our deeds will show us to be, when present.
這樣的人該想一想，我們不在的時候，寫信時在言語上是怎樣，我們來到的時候，在行事上也必是這樣。
12 We have not indeed the audacity to class or compare ourselves with some of those who indulge in self-commendation! But, when such persons measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they show a want of wisdom.
其實；我們不敢拿自己與某些舉薦自己的人同例或相比：他們是以自己來度量自己，以自己來跟自己相比，這決不是明智。
13 We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.
我們誇耀決不越過範圍，而只是按照天主所指給我們的界限範圍，照這範圍也一直達到你們那裏。
14 For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the good news of the Christ!
我們並沒有過於伸展自己，好像從沒有到達你們那裏似的，其實，是我們先帶著基督的福音，到了你們那裏的；
15 Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labours of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased – though still confined to our sphere –
我們共並沒有越過了範圍，以別人勞苦而誇耀；我們只希望因著你們信德的長進，在你們中按照指給我們的界限越發開展，
16 So that we will be able to tell the good news in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done.
以致將福音傳到你們以外的地方，但不在別人的界限內，以別人已成的事而誇耀。
17 Let anyone who boasts make their boast of the Lord.
『凡要誇耀的，應當因主而誇耀。』
18 For it is not those who commend themselves that stand the test, but those who are commended by the Lord.
因為不是自己舉薦自己的，那人是可取的，而是天主所舉薦的。
