2 Akorinitho 11
1 Nĩngwĩhoka nĩmũgũkirĩrĩria ũrimũ ũrĩa mũnini ndĩ naguo; ndamũthaitha mũngirĩrĩrie.
[But now, because my opponents are saying that Christ sent them to you as his representatives and that he did not send me], please be patient with me, too, [while I say a] few things [that may sound as if] [IRO] [I am praising myself, like] a foolish person [would do. You have been] ([putting up with/tolerating]) [those who teach what is false; ] now then, (put up with/tolerate) me [too].
2 Nĩndĩraigua ũiru nĩ ũndũ wanyu, ũiru uumanĩte na ũngai. Ndamwĩrĩire o mũthuuri ũmwe, na nĩwe Kristũ, nĩgeetha ngaamũneana kũrĩ we mũrĩ ta mũirĩtu gathirange.
I really do care about [what happens to] you, just as God cares about [what happens to you. Just like a father wants his daughter to be sexually pure when he presents her to the man she will marry] [MET], I [want you to belong] to Christ [alone and to no other]. I want to present you [to him] as people who remain faithful to him [only, and who have not believed the deceitful message of those who are teaching what is false].
3 No ndĩ na guoya gũtigatuĩke atĩ meciiria manyu no maturuurio mũtiganĩrie ũgima na ũtheru wa kwĩrutĩra Kristũ, o ta ũrĩa Hawa aaheenekire nĩ nyoka na wara wayo.
However, just like [Satan, when he] cunningly [appeared as a] snake, deceived Eve [and caused her to disobey the Lord God], I am concerned that [those teachers] will cause you to think wrongly so that you will no longer [be faithful to] Christ alone.
4 Inyuĩ nĩmwamũkagĩra ũhoro ũngĩ mũkenete, mũndũ o wothe angĩmũhunjĩria ũhoro wa Jesũ ũngĩ tiga Jesũ ũrĩa twamũhunjĩirie, kana mũngĩamũkĩra roho ũngĩ tiga Roho ũrĩa mwamũkĩrire, o na kana mũgetĩkia ũhoro-mwega ũngĩ tiga ũrĩa mwetĩkirie.
[I say that] because some people have come among you who are teaching [their own thoughts about] Jesus. They [are saying about him] things that are [entirely] different from what I taught you. [They are urging] you to receive a [powerful] spirit who [would come to live in you], but it is not the same [Spirit] that you received [from God when you believed in Christ]. They preach [what they call] a good message, and you accept [their message, even though it is not the same as the good message about Christ that you heard from me. And] you have gladly accepted them and their message!
5 No ndigwĩciiria atĩ ndĩ mũnini o na hanini kũrĩ “atũmwo acio anene.”
I consider that [LIT] none of those [men, even though they think of themselves as being] [IRO] extra-special apostles, are in any way greater than I am.
6 No ngorwo itarĩ mũrute ũhoro-inĩ wa kwaria, no ndĩ na ũmenyo. Nĩtũmũmenyithĩtie maũndũ maya wega na njĩra ciothe.
[I admit that] I am not an eloquent speaker, but I do know [God’s message]. I have made that clear to you by everything [that I have done among you and by everything that I have taught you].
7 Hihi nĩ kwĩhia ndeehirie nĩ kwĩnyiihia nĩguo ndĩmũtũũgĩrie inyuĩ na ũndũ wa kũmũhunjĩria Ũhoro-ũrĩa-Mwega wa Ngai hatarĩ irĩhi?
[I refused to accept money] from you as pay for teaching you God’s message about Christ. (It is ridiculous for you to think that what I did was wrong!/Was that wrong?) [RHQ] [I know that by teaching you without pay], I made myself seem [IRO] unimportant to you. [But I did it] to honor you.
8 Nĩgũtunya ndaatunyaga makanitha mangĩ ngĩamũkĩra ũteithio kuuma kũrĩ o nĩguo hote kũmũtungata.
[Some people might say that it was as though] [IRO] I was robbing other congregations because I accepted money from them in order that I might work among you.
9 Na hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndaarĩ na inyuĩ, ndabatario nĩ kĩndũ-rĩ, ndiatuĩkaga mũrigo harĩ mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ, nĩgũkorwo ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ moka kuuma Makedonia nĩmaheire indo cia kũigana mabataro makwa. Nĩndĩgirĩrĩirie ndigatuĩke mũrigo kũrĩ inyuĩ na njĩra o yothe, na nĩngũthiĩ na mbere gwĩka ũguo.
Furthermore, when I was [there] with you and had no [money to buy the things that I needed], I did not cause any [of you] ([to have difficulties by my depending on you/by asking you for money/support]), because our [(inc)] fellow believers who came from [here in] Macedonia [province] brought enough [money for me to buy everything] that I needed. So I have not caused you any difficulty at all [by asking you for money], and I never will [ask you for money] [EUP].
10 Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa ũhoro wa ma wa Kristũ ũrĩ thĩinĩ wakwa, gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũ thĩinĩ wa ngʼongo cia Akaia ũngĩngiria ndĩrahe ũguo.
[And] as [sure as you know that] everything that Christ says is true, [you can be sure that what] I say [to you now is true. Wherever I go] there in Achaia [province], [I do not let you believers pay me for doing God’s work among you]. And no one will be able to prevent me from boasting [about that].
11 Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma njuge ũguo? Nĩ tondũ ndimwendete? Ngai nĩoĩ atĩ nĩndĩmwendete!
No one should wrongly [RHQ] think that it is because I do not love you that [I do not take pay from you]. God knows [that you truly/really are very dear to me].
12 Na nĩngũthiĩ na mbere na gwĩka ũrĩa ndĩreka, nĩguo njagithie kĩene andũ arĩa macaragia mweke wa kuoneka atĩ nĩmaiganaine na ithuĩ, thĩinĩ wa maũndũ marĩa merahaga namo.
There are [some men there among you] who would like to be able to say boastfully that they [work among you] just as I do. So, in order to make it impossible [IDM] [for them to say that], I have [refused to accept pay from you], and I will continue doing that.
13 Nĩgũkorwo andũ ta acio nĩ atũmwo a maheeni, aruti wĩra a kũhĩtithia andũ, na metuaga atũmwo a Kristũ.
Those men are lying [when they say that they are] apostles. They work deceitfully. [Even though they say that they work for God, they are working only for themselves]. They try to make people think that Christ [sent them] as his apostles, [but they do not truly represent him].
14 Naguo ũndũ ũcio ti wa kũmakania, nĩgũkorwo o na Shaitani o nake nĩetuaga mũraika wa ũtheri.
I am not surprised [that they act like that], because Satan himself causes people to think [that he has come] as a shining messenger [from God].
15 Ndũkĩrĩ ũndũ wa kũgegania ndungata ciake cingĩĩtua ndungata cia ũthingu. Marigĩrĩrio-inĩ makaagĩa na kĩrĩa kĩringaine na ciĩko ciao.
So it should not surprise [you] if these men, who [really] serve [Satan, do good things in order] to make you think they [serve God]. Some day God will [punish them] according to what they deserve because of the [evil] things that they do.
16 Nĩnguuga o rĩngĩ atĩrĩ: Mũndũ ndakae kuona ta ndĩ kĩrimũ. No angĩkorwo nĩguo mũkuona-rĩ, kĩnyamũkĩrei o ta ũrĩa mũngĩamũkĩra kĩrimũ, nĩguo ndĩĩrahe o hanini.
I say again: I do not want any of you to think that my [boasting about myself] is like foolish [people] boast. But even if anyone [thinks that I am boasting about myself like a foolish person boasts, listen to] what I [have to say anyway, just like you listen to those false apostles]. They really [speak] foolishly! Listen to me while I also boast a little.
17 Ũhoro-inĩ wa mwĩraho ũyũ ndĩ naguo-rĩ, ndiraaria ta ũrĩa Mwathani angĩaria, no ndĩraaria o ta ũrĩa kĩrimũ kĩngĩaria.
About the things that I am [going to tell you], boasting confidently [about myself, surely you know that they are not the kind of things] that the Lord [Jesus] would say. Instead, [I will speak] as a foolish [person would speak].
18 Kuona atĩ andũ aingĩ nĩmareraha ta ũrĩa thĩ ĩĩrahaga-rĩ, o na niĩ ngwĩraha o tao.
Because many among you are boasting [about their own work], as unbelievers do, I will also boast [about myself and my work] [MTY, IRO].
19 Tondũ inyuĩ mũkĩrĩ oogĩ-rĩ, nĩmũkiragĩrĩria arĩa irimũ mũkenete!
[I am sure that you, who think that you are so wise, will accept what I say] because you gladly [accept the] false teachers and the foolish things [that they say].
20 Ti-itherũ, nĩmũkiragĩrĩria mũndũ o wothe o na angĩmũtua ngombo ciake, kana ũrĩa ũkũmũhatĩrĩria, kana ũrĩa ũkũrĩa indo cianyu, kana ũrĩa ũgwĩtũũgĩria mbere yanyu, o na kana ũrĩa ũkũmũhũũra hĩ.
When people [treat] you as if they were your bosses, you gladly submit [to them. You think that it is all right when others] force you to provide for their needs. You think that it is all right [when people] take control over you, when they boast about themselves, [or when they insult you by] slapping you in the face.
21 Nĩngũconoka ngiuga atĩ ithuĩ nĩtwaremirwo nĩ gwĩka maũndũ ta macio! Ũndũ ũrĩa mũndũ ũngĩ angĩhota kwĩraha nĩ ũndũ waguo-rĩ, ndĩkĩarie ta ndĩ kĩrimũ-rĩ, o na niĩ no ngĩgerie kwĩraha nĩ ũndũ waguo.
I agree that I was not bold enough to treat you in such ways. [Ha! Do you think that] [IRO] I should feel ashamed [because I did not do that?] So now, talking like a person who does not have any sense, I will boldly tell you [some things about myself, just like those false apostles tell you things about themselves].
22 Andũ acio nĩ Ahibirania? O na niĩ ndĩ Mũhibirania. Andũ acio nĩ Aisiraeli? O na niĩ ndĩ Mũisiraeli. Andũ acio nĩ njiaro cia Iburahĩmu? O na niĩ ndĩ wa rũciaro rwa Iburahĩmu.
Do [they tell you] that they are Hebrews [and can speak the Hebrew language?] Well, I can say the same thing [about myself]. Do they [tell you that they] belong [to God’s people], the nation of Israel? Well, I can say the same thing [about myself]. [Do they tell you that] they are descendants of [our great] ancestor Abraham? Well, he is my ancestor, too.
23 Andũ acio nĩ ndungata cia Kristũ? (Ngwaria ũguo ta ndĩ mũgũrũku.) Niĩ nĩndĩmakĩrĩte. Nĩndutĩte wĩra na kĩyo kũmakĩra, na ngaikio njeera mahinda maingĩ makĩria yao, na ngahũũrwo na kĩboko makĩria, o na mahinda maingĩ ndanakuhĩrĩria gũkua.
[Do they tell you how much] work they have done for Christ? Now I am talking like a crazy person talks [EUP]. Well, I work for Christ much more [than they do. I have been] in prison many more times [than they have. Many times I] have been beaten {[people] have beaten me} very severely [because I believe in and obey Christ]. Many times I almost died [because of serving Christ].
24 Ayahudi nĩmahũũrire na kĩboko maita matano, o ihinda iboko mĩrongo ĩtatũ na kenda.
On five occasions Jewish [religious leaders] beat me 39 times with a whip.
25 Nĩndahũũrirwo na thanju maita matatũ, na riita rĩmwe ngĩhũũrwo na mahiga nyuguto, na maita matatũ ndanathũkĩrwo nĩ marikabu ndĩ thĩinĩ, na ngĩraara o na ngĩtinda iria-inĩ ũtukũ ũmwe na mũthenya mũgima.
On three occasions I was beaten {[Roman] officials beat me} with wooden sticks. On one occasion [a large crowd of people] threw stones at me [to kill me]. On three occasions the ship [that I was traveling on] was wrecked [and sank. On one of those occasions] I was [floating] in the water a night and a day [before I was rescued].
26 Ngoretwo ngĩthiĩ ngʼendo nyingĩ. Ngagĩkorwo ndĩ ũgwati-inĩ wa gũtwarwo nĩ njũũĩ, na ũgwati-inĩ wa atunyani, na ũgwati-inĩ wa gũũkĩrĩrwo nĩ andũ a rũrĩrĩ rwitũ, na ũgwati-inĩ wa gũũkĩrĩrwo nĩ andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ; na ngoona ũgwati ndĩ matũũra-inĩ manene, na ndĩ thĩinĩ wa bũrũri, na ndĩ iria-inĩ; o na ũgwati wa andũ arĩa maheenanagia atĩ nĩ ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ.
As I have often traveled to other places, [I have often risked losing my life. For example], sometimes I have been in danger [crossing] rivers. [I have been] in danger [traveling in places] where there were bandits. [At times I have been in] danger among people of my own nation, [the Jews], and [at other times I been in] danger among those who are not Jews. [I have been] in danger in cities, and I have been in dangerous situations in barren areas. I have been in dangerous situations [when I was traveling in ships]. [I have been in] danger among people who falsely [claim to be] fellow believers.
27 Ndaanaruta wĩra mũritũ na wa mĩnoga, na maita maingĩ ngaagaga toro; ndaanakorwo na ngʼaragu na nyoota, na maita maingĩ ngaaga kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩa; ndaanakorwo heho-inĩ na ndĩ njaga.
I have worked very hard [DOU] [to earn] ([a living/what I need]), and often I did not sleep. At times I was hungry and thirsty, and at times I did not have enough time to eat. Sometimes I was cold [because] I did not have enough clothes [to wear].
28 Hamwe na macio mothe-rĩ, o mũthenya ngoragwo na mũrigo, ngĩĩtanga nĩ ũndũ wa makanitha mothe.
In addition to all that, I am constantly and deeply concerned about all the congregations [that I have helped to begin].
29 Nũũ ũngĩkorwo aagĩte hinya, na niĩ njage gũkorwo njũrĩtwo nĩ hinya? Nũũ ũngĩhĩngithio, na niĩ njage gũkorwo ngĩcinwo nĩ marakara?
[Every time that I hear about fellow believers] [RHQ] who are not strong [spiritually], I sympathize with them [and try to help them. Every time that I learn about a fellow believer] [RHQ] who causes [another believer] to do something wrong, that makes me very angry.
30 Angĩkorwo no nginya ndĩĩrahe, ngwĩrahĩra maũndũ marĩa monanagia ũrĩa itarĩ na hinya.
Because [it seems that] it is necessary for me to [continue] boasting [about myself], I will boast about things that [caused some people to think of me] as being weak.
31 Ngai, na nowe Ithe wa Mwathani Jesũ, ũrĩa ũgoocagwo nginya tene-rĩ, nĩoĩ atĩ ndiraheenania. (aiōn g165)
God, who is the Father of our [(inc)] Lord Jesus, and who is the one [whom we should] praise forever, knows that I am not lying [about this]. (aiōn g165)
32 Kũu Dameski, barũthi ũrĩa waathanaga arĩ rungu rwa Mũthamaki Areta-rĩ, nĩathanire itũũra inene rĩa andũ a Dameski rĩrangĩrwo nĩgeetha aanyiitithie.
[One time when I was] in Damascus [city], the governor whom King Aretas [had appointed] to rule [part of his area, told his soldiers] to guard [the gates of] the city so that they could seize me [if I tried to leave the city].
33 No nĩndoimĩirio ndirica, ngĩikũrũkĩrio rũthingo-inĩ ndĩ thĩinĩ wa gĩkabũ, ngĩhonoka kũnyiitwo nĩwe.
But [my friends] helped me to escape [by] putting me in a large basket and lowering me [to the ground by a rope] through an opening in the [city] wall. [That was really humiliating]!
