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.

1 And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you -- through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ -- who in presence, indeed [am] humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

2 and I beseech [you], that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

3 for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,

4 for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

5 reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

6 and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

7 The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ`s, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ`s, so also we [are] Christ`s;

8 for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,

10 `because the letters indeed -- saith one -- [are] weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.`

11 This one -- let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, [we are] in deed.

12 For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

13 and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us -- to reach even unto you;

14 for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,

15 not boasting of the things not measured, in other men`s labours, and having hope -- your faith increasing -- in you to be enlarged, according to our line -- into abundance,

16 in the [places] beyond you to proclaim good news, not in another`s line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;

17 and he who is boasting -- in the Lord let him boast;

18 for not he who is commending himself is approved, but he whom the Lord doth commend.