2 Kwabasekhorinte 10

1 Mina-ke uPawuli ngokwami ngiyalincenga ngobumnene langesisa sikaKristu, othobekileyo phakathi kwenu nxa ngikhona, kodwa nxa ngingekho ngilesibindi kini;

I, Paul, myself appeal to you, by the humility and gentleness of Christ. I am meek when I am in your presence, but I am bold toward you when I am away.

2 ngiyalincenga-ke ukuthi, nxa ngikhona, ngingabi lesibindi ngalokhukuzimisela ebengikhunjulelwa ngakho ukuthi ngilesibindi sokumelana labanye abacabanga ngathi njengabahamba ngokwenyama.

I beg of you that, when I am present with you, I will not need to be bold with self-confidence. But I think I will need to be bold when I oppose those who assume that we are living according to the flesh.

3 Ngoba lanxa sihamba enyameni kasilwi ngokwenyama;

For even though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

4 ngoba izikhali zempi yethu kayisizo zasenyameni, kodwa zilamandla ngoNkulunkulu ekubhidlizeni izinqaba,

For the weapons we fight with are not fleshly. Instead, they have divine power to destroy strongholds. They bring to nothing misleading arguments.

5 sehlisa iminakano lakho konke okuziphakamisela ukumelana lolwazi lukaNkulunkulu, lemicabango yonke siyithumbela ekumlaleleni uKristu;

We also destroy every high thing that rises up against the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive into obedience to Christ.

6 futhi silokulungela ukuphindisela ukungalaleli konke, nxa ukulalela kwenu sekuphelele.

And we are getting ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

7 Likhangela izinto njengokubonakala kwazo yini? Uba umuntu ezithemba yena ukuthi ungokaKristu, kabuye anakane lokhu ngaye, ukuthi njengoba yena engokaKristu, ngokunjalo lathi singabakaKristu.

Look at what is clearly in front of you. If anyone is convinced that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

8 Ngoba loba ngolutho olwengezelelweyo kakhulu ngingaze ngizincome futhi ngamandla ethu, eyasinika wona iNkosi ekwakheni, njalo kungabi ngokulichitha, kangiyikuyangeka;

For even if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for us to build you up and not to destroy you, I will not be ashamed.

9 ukuze ngingabonakali njengolethusa ngezincwadi.

I do not want it to appear that I am terrifying you by my letters.

10 Ngoba kuthiwa: Incwadi zakhe zinzima zilamandla; kodwa ubukhona bomzimba wakhe bubuthakathaka, lokukhuluma kwakhe kudelelekile.

For some people say, “His letters are serious and powerful, but physically he is weak. His words are not worth listening to.”

11 Onjalo kanakane lokhu, ukuthi njengoba sinjalo ngelizwi ngezincwadi nxa singekho, lathi sinjalo ngesenzo nxa sikhona.

Let such people be aware that what we are in the words of our letters when we are absent is what we will be in our actions when we are there.

12 Ngoba kasilasibindi sokuzibalela kumbe ukuzifananisa labathile babo abaziqhenyayo; kodwa bona bayalinganisana bodwa, njalo bayafananisana bodwa, kabaqedisisi.

We do not go so far as to group ourselves or compare ourselves with those who praise themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with each other, they have no insight.

13 Kodwa thina kasisoze sizincome okwedlula amalawulo; kodwa ngesilinganiso sesigaba uNkulunkulu asabele sona, isilinganiso sokufika lakini.

We, however, will not boast beyond limits. Instead, we will do so only within the limits of what God has assigned to us, limits that reach as far as you.

14 Ngoba kasizeluli ngokweqileyo ngokungathi kasifinyelelanga kini, ngoba sifikile lakini evangelini likaKristu;

For we did not overextend ourselves when we reached you. We were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel of Christ.

15 kasizincomi okwedlula amalawulo emisebenzini yabanye, kodwa silethemba lokuthi, nxa lwandile ukholo lwenu, sizakhuliswa ngokwengezelelelweyo phakathi kwenu ngesigaba sethu,

We have not boasted beyond limits about the labors of others. Instead, we expect that as your faith continues to grow, our work among you will greatly expand.

16 ukutshumayela ivangeli endaweni ezingaphetsheya kwenu, singazincomi ngesigaba somunye ezintweni ezilungisiweyo.

We hope for this, so that we may preach the gospel even in regions beyond you. We will not boast about the work being done in another's area.

17 Kodwa ozincomayo, kazincome eNkosini.

“But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

18 Ngoba kayisuye ozincomayo, kodwa lowo iNkosi emncomayo, nguye ovunywayo.

For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved. Instead, it is the one whom the Lord recommends.