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’ –
αυτος δε εγω παυλος παρακαλω υμας δια της πραυτητος και επιεικειας του χριστου ος κατα προσωπον μεν ταπεινος εν υμιν απων δε θαρρω εις υμας
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.
δεομαι δε το μη παρων θαρρησαι τη πεποιθησει η λογιζομαι τολμησαι επι τινας τους λογιζομενους ημας ως κατα σαρκα περιπατουντας
3 For, though we live an earthly life, we do not wage an earthly war.
εν σαρκι γαρ περιπατουντες ου κατα σαρκα στρατευομεθα
4 The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.
τα γαρ οπλα της στρατειας ημων ου σαρκικα αλλα δυνατα τω θεω προς καθαιρεσιν οχυρωματων
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,
λογισμους καθαιρουντες και παν υψωμα επαιρομενον κατα της γνωσεως του θεου και αιχμαλωτιζοντες παν νοημα εις την υπακοην του χριστου
6 and are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion, when once your submission is complete.
και εν ετοιμω εχοντες εκδικησαι πασαν παρακοην οταν πληρωθη υμων η υπακοη
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.
τα κατα προσωπον βλεπετε ει τις πεποιθεν εαυτω χριστου ειναι τουτο λογιζεσθω παλιν εφ εαυτου οτι καθως αυτος χριστου ουτως και ημεις
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.
εαν {VAR1: τε } {VAR2: [τε] } γαρ περισσοτερον τι καυχησωμαι περι της εξουσιας ημων ης εδωκεν ο κυριος εις οικοδομην και ουκ εις καθαιρεσιν υμων ουκ αισχυνθησομαι
9 I say this so that it doesn’t seem as if I am trying to overawe you by my letters.
ινα μη δοξω ως αν εκφοβειν υμας δια των επιστολων
10 For people say ‘His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible.’
οτι αι επιστολαι μεν φησιν βαρειαι και ισχυραι η δε παρουσια του σωματος ασθενης και ο λογος εξουθενημενος
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.
τουτο λογιζεσθω ο τοιουτος οτι οιοι εσμεν τω λογω δι επιστολων αποντες τοιουτοι και παροντες τω εργω
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.
ου γαρ τολμωμεν εγκριναι η συγκριναι εαυτους τισιν των εαυτους συνιστανοντων αλλα αυτοι εν εαυτοις εαυτους μετρουντες και συγκρινοντες εαυτους εαυτοις ου συνιασιν
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.
ημεις δε ουκ εις τα αμετρα καυχησομεθα αλλα κατα το μετρον του κανονος ου εμερισεν ημιν ο θεος μετρου εφικεσθαι αχρι και υμων
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!
ου γαρ ως μη εφικνουμενοι εις υμας υπερεκτεινομεν εαυτους αχρι γαρ και υμων εφθασαμεν εν τω ευαγγελιω του χριστου
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 –
ουκ εις τα αμετρα καυχωμενοι εν αλλοτριοις κοποις ελπιδα δε εχοντες αυξανομενης της πιστεως υμων εν υμιν μεγαλυνθηναι κατα τον κανονα ημων εις περισσειαν
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.
εις τα υπερεκεινα υμων ευαγγελισασθαι ουκ εν αλλοτριω κανονι εις τα ετοιμα καυχησασθαι
17 Let anyone who boasts make their boast of the Lord.
ο δε καυχωμενος εν κυριω καυχασθω
18 For it is not those who commend themselves that stand the test, but those who are commended by the Lord.
ου γαρ ο εαυτον συνιστανων εκεινος εστιν δοκιμος αλλα ον ο κυριος συνιστησιν
