1 But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, {when present} {am} mean among you, but absent am bold towards you;

2 but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh.

3 For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

4 For the arms of our warfare {are} not fleshly, but powerful according to God to {the} overthrow of strongholds;

5 overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ;

6 and having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.

7 Do ye look at what concerns appearance? If any one has confidence in himself that he is of Christ, let him think this again in himself, that even as he {is} of Christ, so also {are} we.

8 For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given {to us} for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame;

9 that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:

10 because his letters, he says, {are} weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.

11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters {when} absent, such also present in deed.

12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.

13 Now *we* will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also.

14 For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings of the Christ;)

15 not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly

16 to announce the glad tidings to that {which is} beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.

17 But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.

18 For not *he* that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

1 Aš pats, Paulius, jus maldauju Kristaus romumu ir švelnumu­aš, kuris "akyse su jumis esu toks nusižeminęs, o už akių toks drąsus".

2 Aš jus maldauju, kad atvykęs neturėčiau pasirodyti smarkuoliu, pasiryžusiu griežtai sudrausti kai kuriuos, manančius, jog mes elgėmės pagal kūną.

3 Nors mes gyvename kūne, kovojame ne pagal kūną.

4 Mūsų kovos ginklai ne kūniški, bet galingi Dieve griauti tvirtoves.

5 Jais mes nugalime samprotavimus ir bet kokią puikybę, kuri sukyla prieš Dievo pažinimą, ir paimame nelaisvėn kiekvieną mintį, kad paklustų Kristui,

6 esame pasiruošę nubausti kiekvieną neklusnumą, kai tik jūsų klusnumas taps tobulas.

7 Negi viską vertinate pagal išorę? Jei kas pasitiki, kad yra Kristaus, tegul pamąsto dar kartą: kaip jis Kristaus, taip ir mes.

8 O jei panorėčiau daugiau pasigirti ta valdžia, kurią Viešpats mums suteikė jūsų ugdymui, o ne griovimui, tai nebūtų man gėdos.

9 Beje, nenorėčiau pasirodyti bauginąs jus laiškais.

10 Nes "jo laiškai,­sako,­yra svarūs ir stiprūs, bet kūno išvaizda menka ir iškalba prasta".

11 Kas taip mano, teįsidėmi, jog kokie esame iš tolo laiško žodžiais, tokie būsime ir vietoje darbais.

12 Mes nedrįstame savęs išskirti ar lyginti su kai kuriais žmonėmis, kurie patys save giria. Juk jie, matuodami save pagal save pačius ir lygindami save su savimi, elgiasi neprotingai.

13 Mes nesigiriame be saiko, o tik iki tų ribų, kurias mums Dievas užbrėžė ir kurios siekia net ligi jūsų.

14 Mes nepersistengiame,­tarytum nebūtume pasiekę jūsų,­nes Kristaus Evangelija pasiekėme ir jus.

15 Nesigiriame be saiko svetimo darbo vaisiais, bet turime viltį, jūsų tikėjimui augant, su jumis peraugti ligšiolines ribas,

16 kad galėtume skelbti Evangeliją už jūsų ribų ir nesigirti kito atliktu darbu svetimoje srityje.

17 "Kas giriasi, tesigiria Viešpačiu!"

18 Ne tas pagirtinas, kuris pats save giria, bet tas, kurį Viešpats pagiria.