2 Corinthians 10
1 Now I myself, Paul, appeal to you in a gentle and humble way, like Christ [would. Certain people among you have falsely accused me by saying], “When [Paul] is with you, he is humble [and speaks gently] to you, but when he is away from you, [in the letters he writes to you] he threatens [to punish] you.” [Those people claim that I do not have authority over you as an apostle].
ⲁ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲣⲙⲣⲁϣ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲙⲛⲧϩⲁⲕ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲓϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲙⲉⲛ ϯⲑⲃⲃⲓⲏⲩ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲉⲓⲧⲏⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲉⲛϯϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲁⲛ
2 I strongly plead with you, “[Please do not listen to people who say things like that!]” [I strongly plead with you not to listen to them], so that when I am there [with you] I will not [need to] speak severely [to you] in the same severe way as I [plan to] speak to those people who think that I behave like people who are not believers.
ⲃ̅ϯⲥⲟⲡⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉⲓⲧⲏⲕ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲛϯϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲁϩⲧⲉ ⲉϯⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ϫⲉ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲧⲟⲗⲙⲁ ⲉϫⲛ ϩⲟⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲥⲁⲣⲝ
3 [Remember that] although I am [human like everyone else] in the world, I do not fight [against those who oppose me] in the way that people who are not believers fight those who oppose them.
ⲅ̅ⲉⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ϩⲛ ⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲛⲛⲉⲛϩⲏⲕ ⲁⲛ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲥ ⲁⲣⲝ
4 [I will tell you what I mean by that: Just like soldiers use] various weapons [to fight their enemies] [MET], [I] ([fight against/oppose]) [those who] oppose God’s message, but I do it in a different way. I do not [use human arguments and clever/sweet talk], like unbelievers do. Instead, [I fight against my opponents] with the powerful means that God [has given me]. With that power [I destroy their arguments against God’s message and against me, just like soldiers destroy] [MET] the fortresses [of their enemies].
ⲇ̅ⲛϩⲟⲡⲗⲟⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲧⲉⲛⲙⲛⲧⲙⲁⲧⲟⲓ ⲛϩⲉⲛⲥⲁⲣⲕⲓⲕⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϩⲉⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲩϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉⲩϣⲟⲣϣⲣ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲧⲁϫⲣⲏⲩ ⲉⲛϣⲟⲣϣⲣ ⲛⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ
5 [Specifically], I show that the [human] arguments that they use to deceive [people are completely wrong]. When they [proudly say things that] keep other people from knowing God, [I show them that they are completely wrong. I also enable people to] change their ways of thinking so that they think about everything as Christ [wants them to think].
ⲉ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ϫⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙⲡⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲛⲥⲱⲕ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲙⲛⲧⲥⲧⲙⲏⲧ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ
6 I am also ready to discipline everyone [among you] who has not obeyed [the things that Christ taught. I will do this] as soon as you [who truly want to obey Christ show me that] you are [going to] obey him completely.
ⲋ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲛⲥⲃⲧⲱⲧ ⲉϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲃⲁ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲁⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϭⲓ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ
7 [I want you to understand what is] happening among you. There are certain [people there who are telling you that] they know for sure that they are Christ’s [representatives and that I am not]. Those people should realize that I [represent] Christ as much as they do.
ⲍ̅ϭⲱϣⲧ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲙⲡⲉⲧⲛⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲡⲉⲧⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲡⲁ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲡⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϫⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲛⲧϥ ⲡⲁ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲡⲱϥ ϩⲱⲱⲛ
8 [I say that] because the authority that the Lord gave me [as his apostle] is to help you to become mature believers, not to cause you to stop [trusting in Christ]. So even if I were to boast a little more than I have [already done] (OR, proudly talk a little more than I have [already talked] about the authority the Lord gave me [as his apostle]), [no one would be able to make me] ashamed [by proving that Jesus has not given me that authority].
ⲏ̅ⲉⲉⲓϣⲁⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲛⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲧⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲧⲁⲁⲥ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲕⲱⲧ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛϣⲟⲣϣⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲛϯⲛⲁϫⲓ ϣⲓⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ
9 I do not intend to make you afraid of me by the letters that I [write to you].
ⲑ̅ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲕϩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲉϣϫⲉ ⲉⲓⲑⲣϣⲟ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ
10 [I say that] because some people are saying, “[When Paul writes] letters, he says severe things [in order to make you obey him], but when he is here with you, [people look at him and say] he is weak, and he certainly is not a skillful speaker.”
ⲓ̅ϫⲉ ⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϩⲟⲣϣ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲧⲡⲁⲣϩⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲥⲱⲙⲁ ϭⲟⲟⲃ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲥⲟϣϥ
11 The [people who say] such things should think carefully about this: The kind of [severe] person that [you think] me to be when you read my letters is exactly the kind of person I will be when I come. [I will do what I wrote that I would do].
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲙⲁⲣⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲛⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲛϣⲁϫⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲛⲧⲛϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲁⲛϩⲉⲛⲧⲉⲉⲓⲙⲓⲛⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲛϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡϩⲱⲃ
12 [Those who oppose me] tell others how good they are. [If they really were superior to me] [IRO], I would not be so bold as to say that I [was equal to them, or] to compare myself with them. [But they are not superior to me]. They make up their own standards [about what God’s servants should be like], and then they look at their own [conduct] and decide [whether or not they meet those standards. By doing that, they show that] they are foolish.
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ⲛⲧⲛⲧⲟⲗⲙⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲕⲣⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲏ ⲉϣⲁϣⲛ ⲙⲛ ϩⲟⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲥⲩⲛϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲁⲁⲧⲟⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲱⲡ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩϣⲱϣ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉⲛⲥⲉⲛⲟⲓ ⲁⲛ
13 But as for me, I will not boast about [working among people living in] areas outside of the areas [that God sent/assigned me to work in]. But [it is right for] me to say that [I have worked] in the areas that God assigned to me. [And since those areas] include the one where you live,
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡϣⲓ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡϣⲓ ⲙⲡⲕⲁⲛⲱⲛ ⲉⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲧⲟϣϥ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲡⲱϩ ϣⲁ ⲟⲩϣⲓ ϣⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ
14 [when I talk about working among you], I am not boasting [about working in an area where God did not give me the right to work. What those who oppose me say about my not having authority as an apostle to you might be true] if I had not already come all the way to your area. [But that is not true], because I was the one who first brought the message about Christ to you. [I came to Corinth before they did]!
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲛⲧⲁⲛⲣⲑⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲉⲛⲥⲉⲡⲏϩ ⲁⲛ ϣⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲁⲛⲡⲟⲣϣⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛⲡⲱϩ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ
15 Also, [my opponents] boast about work that others have done [as if it were their own work]. It is improper for them to do that, but I do not do as they do. I confidently expect that as you trust more and more [in the gospel that I preach], you will more and more [agree that God has given me the right to] work [as Christ’s representative] among you.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲛⲛⲉⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡϣⲓ ⲏ ϩⲛ ϩⲉⲛϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲉ ⲉⲩⲛⲧⲁⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛⲁⲩⲝⲁⲛⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲁⲓⲁⲉⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲕⲁⲛⲱⲛ ⲉⲩϩⲟⲩⲟ
16 Then I will be able to go to places beyond where you [are]. I will be able to tell the good message about Christ [to people in areas where no one has yet gone to tell that message]. And [I will be able to talk about the work I myself have done in that area], instead of boasting about work that someone else has already done [as if it were my work].
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲍⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲁ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲛⲱⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲙⲡⲱⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲥⲃⲧⲱⲧ
17 [I try to do according to what someone/Jeremiah wrote in the Scriptures], If anyone wants to boast [about something], he should boast [only] about what the Lord [God has done].
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ⲡⲉⲧϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ϩⲙ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ
18 [You can realize, then, that] it is not those who (praise themselves/tell you what great things they have done), [as my opponents do], whom you should accept [as apostles]. Instead, you [should accept as true apostles only] those whom the Lord commends.
ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲥⲩⲛϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲁϥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲥⲱⲧⲡ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲁⲥⲩⲛϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲡⲉ
