2 Kolinitō 12

1 Ko e moʻoni ʻoku taʻengali mo au ke polepole. Ka te u lea ki he ngaahi meʻa hā mai mo e ngaahi fakahā ʻoe ʻEiki.

[It seems that] I must go on boasting [about myself]. Although [I do] not [think that my telling you about] this will help [you to accept me as Christ’s representative to you], I [will say this anyway]. I will tell you about visions that the Lord [gave a certain man] and about things that he [supernaturally] revealed [to that man. I will tell you this because some of the people among you boast that it was in visions that they received the things that they teach].

2 ‌ʻI he taʻu ʻe hongofulu ma fā nai kuo hili, ne u ʻilo ha tangata naʻe ʻia Kalaisi, (pe naʻe ʻi he sino ia, ʻoku ʻikai te u ʻilo; pe naʻe ʻikai ʻi he sino, ʻoku ʻikai te u ʻilo; ʻoku ʻilo ʻe he ʻOtua; ) naʻe ʻohake ia ki hono tolu ʻoe langi.

The man that I will tell you about is one [who believes] in Christ. Fourteen years ago he was taken {[Christ] took him} up into the third heaven, [the highest heaven, the place where God is]. I do not know whether he went there [in his physical body] or whether he was outside of his body [at that time and only his spirit went]. Only God really knows.

3 Pea ne u ʻilo ʻae tangata ko ia, (pe naʻe ʻi he sino, pe naʻe ʻikai ʻi he sino, ʻoku ʻikai te u ʻilo: ʻoku ʻilo ʻe he ʻOtua; )

But he was [suddenly] taken {[Christ suddenly] took him} up to [a place called] Paradise, [that wonderful place where God lives. I repeat that] I do not know whether his body [went there] or only his spirit. Only God knows [that. While he was there, God] told him some things that he does not allow [human beings] to tell [others about].

4 Koeʻuhi naʻe ʻohake ia ki Palataisi ʻo ne fanongo ki he ngaahi lea taʻefaʻaleaʻaki, ʻaia ʻoku ʻikai ngofua ke lea ʻaki ʻe ha tangata.

5 Ko e tokotaha ko ia teu polepole ai: ka ʻe ʻikai teu polepole ʻiate au, ka ʻi heʻeku ngaahi vaivai.

I will proudly talk about that man. However, I will not be boasting [as] I say that I [am the one who saw and heard those wonderful things]. I will talk only about the things that [cause others to think of] me as a weak [human being like everyone else].

6 He ka ne u holi ke polepole, ʻe ʻikai ai te u vale; he te u lea moʻoni pe: ka ʻoku ou tukuā, telia naʻa ai ha taha ʻe mahalo lelei lahi hake ʻiate au ʻi he meʻa ʻoku ne mamata ʻiate au, pe ʻi he meʻa ʻoku ne fanongo ʻiate au.

But even if I should choose to boast [to you about such wonderful things that happened to me], I would not be [speaking like] a fool, because I would be telling you the truth. But I will not [talk proudly about such things], because I do not want any of you to think highly of me [because of the things that have happened to me]. Instead, [I want you to decide what kind of person I am by the way you see] me [acting] and by what you hear me teach.

7 Pea telia naʻaku fielahi fau au ʻi hono lahi ʻoe ngaahi meʻa naʻe fakahā, naʻe tuku kiate au ʻae tolounua ʻi he kakano, ko e meʻa fekau ʻa Sētane, ke tukiʻi au, telia naʻaku fielahi fau.

In order that I might not become proud because of those many wonderful things [that Christ] revealed to me, [God permitted] Satan to send a messenger [to humble me] (OR, to [make me sick]). [What that messenger did to me was painful, like] [MET] a thorn pricking my body.

8 Pea ʻi he meʻa ni, naʻe liunga tolu ʻeku kole lahi ki he ʻEiki, koeʻuhi ke mahuʻi ia ʻiate au.

Three times I prayed to the Lord about it, begging him to take this away from me.

9 Pea pehē mai ʻe ia kiate au, “Ko ʻeku tokoni ʻe lahi maʻau: he kuo fakakakato ʻeku mālohi ʻi hoʻo vaivai.” Ko ia teu fiefia lahi mo polepole ai muʻa ʻi heʻeku ngaahi vaivai, koeʻuhi ke nofoʻia au ʻe he mālohi ʻo Kalaisi.

But he said to me, “[No, I will not take this away from you. Instead], I will kindly help you, and that will be all that you need, because it is [when you are] weak that I [can] best [work] powerfully [to help you].” So, because of [what the Lord said to me], I will very gladly boast about [the things that make] me [seem] weak, so that [people may realize] that it is Christ who gives me power [to serve him].

10 Ko ia ʻoku ou fiemālie ai ʻi he ngaahi vaivai, ʻi he ngaahi manuki, mo e ngaahi masiva, mo e ngaahi fakatanga, mo e ngaahi mamahi, koeʻuhi ko Kalaisi: he kau ka vaivai ʻoku ou toki mālohi.

For that reason, [whenever I am] weak, or [when people] insult me, [or when I have to endure] hardships, or [when I am persecuted] {[people] cause me to suffer}, or [when I am in situations that] distress me, I am content because [I am serving] Christ. [I can say that] because at any time when I myself am weak, that is the [very] time when [Christ] powerfully [helps me].

11 Ko eni, kuo u vale ʻi he polepole; ka kuo mou fakalanga ia ʻiate au: he naʻe totonu hoʻomou fakaongolelei au: he ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻa ʻe taha ʻoku ou tomui ai ʻi he fungani “ʻaposetolo lahi,” ka ʻoku ʻikai ko ha meʻa au.

It has been foolish for me [to talk about myself like this], but it is you who forced me to do it. Truly [if the Lord would not help me], I would be worthless, [as my opponents say that I am]. But none of the men whom you [wrongfully think] [IRO] are great apostles are greater in any way than I am. So it would have been right/proper for you to say good things about me.

12 Ko e moʻoni ko e ngaahi fakaʻilonga ʻoe ʻaposetolo naʻe fai ʻiate kimoutolu, ʻi he faʻa kātaki kotoa pē, mo e ngaahi fakaʻilonga, mo e ngaahi mana, mo e ngaahi ngāue mālohi.

[You should have done that, because] when I was with you [I] repeatedly did the things that showed you that [I am truly] an apostle, such as performing many [DOU] miracles.

13 He ko e hā ha meʻa ne mou siʻi hifo ai ʻi he ngaahi siasi kehe, ka koeʻuhi ʻapē ko ʻeku taʻefakamāfasiaʻi ʻakimoutolu? fakamolemolea ʻeku kovi ni.

And I have [certainly treated] you as well as [I treated] the other congregations [that I helped to start. Or do you think that] by not asking you [to pay me for my work], I was not treating you as well as I treated the other congregations? (It is foolish for you to [think that] [IRO] [it] was wrong for me not [to ask for pay from you for my work, and therefore I should ask] you to forgive me for that!/Do you [think that it] was wrong for me not [to ask for pay from you for my work, and therefore I should ask] you to forgive me for that?) [RHQ]

14 Vakai, ko hono liunga tolu eni ʻo ʻeku teu ke ʻalu atu kiate kimoutolu; pea ʻe ʻikai te u fakamāfasiaʻi ʻakimoutolu: he ʻoku ʻikai teu kumi hoʻomou meʻa, ka ko kimoutolu: he ʻoku ʻikai ngali ke tokonaki ʻe he fānau maʻae mātuʻa, ka ko e mātuʻa maʻae fānau.

Now listen to me! It is time for me to come to you for a third [visit. When I come], I [still] will not insist that you [pay me for my work], because I do not want [any of] your [money] [EUP]! What I want is for you [MTY] [to love and appreciate me]. It is not [normally the duty of] children to save [money to provide for the needs of] their parents. Instead, it [is the duty of] parents to [provide] for their children [MET]. In the same way, [it is not your duty to provide for me. Instead, it is my duty to provide spiritual help for you because you are my spiritual children].

15 Pea teu loto fiefia lahi ke ngāue, pea ʻatu mo ʻeku moʻui koeʻuhi ko homou laumālie; neongo ʻae fakasiʻisiʻi ʻae ʻofa kiate au, ʻi he tupulekina ʻo lahi ʻaupito ʻeku ʻofa kiate kimoutolu.

So, for my part, [as a good parent would do], I will be very happy to use everything that I have, and do everything that I possibly can, [in order to help you]. And because I love you very much, (I will be very disappointed if [you] do not love me a little bit, too./will [you] not love me a little bit, too?) [RHQ]

16 Pea ko ia naʻe ʻikai te u fakamāfasia ʻakimoutolu: ka ʻi he anga fakapotopoto, ne u maʻu ʻakimoutolu ʻi he fakaoloolo.

[You all] know that I did not depend on you [to provide for my needs]. However, [there are some who accuse me, saying that] [IRO] I was very clever and got money from you by tricking you.

17 He naʻaku maʻumeʻa meiate kimoutolu ʻi ha taha ʻokinautolu naʻaku fekau atu kiate kimoutolu?

But did I ever do that? No! I never [RHQ] asked any of the men whom I sent to you [to get money] from you [and bring it to me]

18 Naʻaku kole kia Taitusi, pe au fekau mo ia ha kāinga [kiate kimoutolu]. Naʻe maʻumeʻa ʻa Taitusi meiate kimoutolu? ʻIkai naʻa ma ʻaʻeva ʻi he laumālie pe taha pea ma topuvaʻe taha pe?

Titus went [and visited you because] I urged him to do so. I also sent the other believer, [whom you know], to go with Titus. [You know that] Titus did not [RHQ] trick [you in order to get money from you. And you certainly know that] he and I have always [RHQ] acted in exactly the same [honest] way [towards you].

19 ‌ʻOku mou mahalo ʻoku mau toe fakaongolelei ʻakimautolu kiate kimoutolu? ʻOku mau lea ʻi he ʻao ʻoe ʻOtua ʻia Kalaisi: ka [ʻoku mau fai ]ʻae meʻa kotoa pē, ʻe kāinga ʻofeina, ke langa hake ai ʻakimoutolu.

While [you have been reading this letter, if] you have been thinking that I have [just] been [saying these things to] defend myself [against those who accuse me, you are wrong]. I have been saying [these things honestly, knowing] that God is listening [to me. I also speak as one who has a close relationship] with Christ. Everything that I do and [everything that I say is] to [help you] whom I love (to grow [spiritually/] to become [spiritually] mature).

20 He ʻoku ou manavahē, telia ʻi heʻeku hoko atu, ʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo ʻakimoutolu ʻo taau mo hoku loto, pea te mou ʻiloʻi au ʻo taʻetaau mo homou loto: telia naʻa ʻoku ai ʻae fakakikihi, ʻae femehekaʻaki, ʻae feʻiteʻitani, fekeʻikeʻi, ʻae felauʻiʻaki, ʻae fefanafanahi, ʻae fakamofutofuta, ʻae maveuveu:

[I have written this way to you] because I worry that when I come [to visit you], I will see that [some of] you are [not conducting your lives the way] that I want you [to]. If that is so, [when I get there] you will see that I will have [to act] in a [very severe way toward you, and I am sure] that you do not want that. Specifically, I am afraid that [some of you] may be quarreling, or that you are being jealous [of each other], or that you quickly get very angry [with them], or that you are acting selfishly, or that [some of] you are saying bad things about others, or that you are (spreading false rumors/saying false things) about each other, or that you are acting proudly, or that you are [doing things] in a disorderly manner.

21 Pea telia naʻa ʻi heʻeku toe hoko atu ʻe fakavaivaiʻi au ʻe hoku ʻOtua ʻiate kimoutolu, pea te u tangilāulau ʻi he tokolahi kuo nau fai angahala pea ʻoku teʻeki ai kenau fakatomala ʻi he ngāue ʻuli mo e feʻauaki mo e angafakalielia ʻaia kuo nau fai.

[I] ([feel anxious/am concerned]) [about you. I worry that] when I visit you again, God, the one whom I [serve], will make me feel ashamed of you [when I see that] you [still are not conducting your lives as believers should]. Then I will feel very sad about [some of] you who were sinning previously and have not stopped your sinful behavior. [Some of you] may still have impure [thoughts. Some of you] may be having sexual intercourse with those to whom you are not married. [And some of you] may be doing other shameful things.