2 Corinthians 12
1 [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].
Mbe hitolom-pitrèñe iraho, ndra te tsy vente’e, fe honjoneko o aroñaroñeo naho o famentabentara’ i Talèo.
2 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.
Fantako t’indaty amy Norizañey, ie folo taoñe efats’ amby izay, (ke am-bata’e, tsy haiko, he tsy am-bata’e, amoeako, fa arofoanan’ Añahare), ie nonjoneñe mb’an-dikeram-pahatelo mb’eo.
3 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].
Ty fohiko am’indatiy—ie nofiko ke niam-bata’e he tsy niambata’e, fa arofoanan’ Añahare—
ie nampionjoneñe mb’ an-tanen-kavelom-b’eo vaho nahajanjiñe saontsy tsy mete volañeñe, fa faly tsy azo saontsie’ ondaty.
5 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].
Ho rengeko i nitalilieñey, fe tsy hisenge ty vatako naho tsy amy hakepehakoy.
6 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.
Aa ndra t’ie hirenge, tsy hanao minè, fa ty hatò avao ty ho volañeko; fe ifoneñako, kera hañonjona’e ahy ambone’ ty isa’ondaty amako naho ze janji’e amako.
7 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.
Aa ke ho rengevoheko ty hara’elahi’ o famentabentarañeo, le nampitsipohem-patike ty nofoko, ìra’ i mpañìnjey hamolevole ahiko, hikalañ’ ahy tsy hiebotsebotse.
8 Three times I prayed to the Lord about it, begging him to take this away from me.
Fa in-telo ty nihalalieko amy Talè t’ie hasitake amako.
9 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].
Fe hoe re tamako: Mahaeneñe azo o hasoako, vaho fonireñe an-kavozoañe o haozarakoo. Aa le ho sengeko an-kaehake i falejolejokoy, soa te himoneñe amako ato ty faozara’ i Norizañey.
10 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].
Aa le mahafale ahy o haifoifoko, o fañinjeañeo, o haemberañeo, o fampisoañañeo, vaho o faloviloviañe ty amy Norizañeio, toe maozatse iraho te màmake.
11 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.
Misare gege iraho, fe nizizie’ areo. Toko’e inahareo ty nandrenge ahiko; amy te, tsy zai’ o Firàheñe mitiotiotseo ndra ami’ty inoñ’ inon-draho, ndra te tsy manjofake.
12 [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.
Fa nimaneañe am-pahaliñisañe añatrefa’ areo o vilom-Piràheñe too—o famantarañeo naho o halatsañeo naho o raha tsitantaneo.
13 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]
Aa vaho inoñe ty nahamasay anahareo amo Fivory ila’eo, naho tsy te izaho tsy naloetse ama’ areo? Iheveo i nandilarakoy!
14 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].
Oniño, t’ie veka’e henaneo ty homb’ ama’ areo añe fañintelo’e; tsy te hampivaveako vaho tsy ipaiako vara, fa inahareo, amy te tsy o ajajao ty mañaja ho aman-droae, fa o roae’eo ho a o ana’eo.
15 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]
Mahaehake ahy ty hañenga naho hengaeñe ho anahareo, aa naho losoreko ty fikokoako, hazetse hao ty fikokoañe ahiko?
16 [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.
Ndra te izay, tsy niloerako. F’ie mahay fañahy le nitsepake anahareo an-ka’kalitahañe.
17 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]
He nañaramamoako amo nañirahakoo?
18 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].
Nosiheko t’i Titosy vaho nampindrezako ty rahalahy. Nañaramamo anahareo hao t’i Titosy? Tsy añ’ arofo raike naho an-dia raike hao o fañaveloa’aio?
19 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).
Atao’ areo t’ie nitolom-piveroke ama’ areo hao hatrela izay? Toe añatrefan’ Añahare, amy Norizañey ty nitaroña’ay, ry rañetse, hampiraorao anahareo.
20 [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.
Ty maha-mahimahiñ’ahy, izaho hiheo mb’eo, he tsy ho treako ami’ty fisalalàko, vaho tsy ho isa’ areo ami’ty fañiria’ areo ahy; ke eo ty liedietse, ty tsikirìke, ty loa-tiñake, ty firahambañe, ty fandrabioñe, ty fitsikotsikoañe, ty evoñevoñe, vaho ty havalitsikotahañe.
21 [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.
Hera te hombako mb’eo indraike, le haketran’ Añahareko añatrefa’ areo, vaho hirovetako o maro nandilatse mbe tsy nisoloho amy leotseio, o hakarapiloañeo naho ze hasalarañe nanoeñe.
