Paul Defends His Work for Christ
1 Do you think I am a coward when I am with you and brave when I am far away? Well, I ask you to listen, because Christ himself was humble and gentle. 2 Some people have said we act like the people of this world. So when I arrive, I expect I will have to be firm and forceful in what I say to them. Please don't make me treat you that way. 3 We live in this world, but we don't act like its people 4 or fight our battles with the weapons of this world. Instead, we use God's power that can destroy fortresses. We destroy arguments 5 and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ. 6 And when you completely obey him, we will punish anyone who refuses to obey.
7 You judge by appearances. If any of you think you are the only ones who belong to Christ, then think again. We belong to Christ as much as you do. 8 Maybe I brag a little too much about the authority that the Lord gave me to help you and not to hurt you. Yet I am not embarrassed to brag. 9 And I am not trying to scare you with my letters. 10 Some of you are saying, “Paul's letters are harsh and powerful. But in person, he is a weakling and has nothing worth saying.” 11 Those people had better understand that when I am with you, I will do exactly what I say in my letters.
12 We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. 13 We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work. 14 We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.
15 We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you. That has always been our goal. 16 Then we will be able to preach the good news in other lands where we cannot take credit for work someone else has already done. 17 The Scriptures say, “If you want to brag, then brag about the Lord.” 18 You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval.
Sɔlṯa kwǝthi Bɔɔlɔs kwǝthi Allah kwɔrɔ.
1 Nyii kwɔrɔ kwǝni Bɔɔlɔs kwutuurǝccǝ-ŋǝsi-lɔ ṯǝjlinnǝ-thi nǝ ŋiiɽǝnnǝ-ŋi ŋǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ. Kila lokwo lǝṯaarɔ-ŋwa, nyii kwǝṯi ǝjilini ki-rogɽo mǝnyii rilli kiyǝnǝ yaalɔ, laakin ǝṯinyoro kwuugwul mǝnyii rucci ŋaaŋwɔsi-na tuk! 2 Nyii kwutuurǝccǝ-ŋǝsi-lɔ etheere kwɔrmɔṯasi nyuŋwɔ mac, ethisi andaci ŋaaŋwɔsi ŋifirlli mǝnyii iila yǝy-lɔ naani-ŋa gwɔ; nyii kwɔgittathɔ rac ethisi andaci kila lǝṯaarɔŋw, ŋǝṯi-nyji ǝrri ŋir gaa ŋǝṯisi ṯurmun ǝrri. 3 A kwilŋithir-pǝ rac ethaarɔŋw, a kwɔnaaniri ki-ṯurmun-nǝ, laakin ǝṯireere ṯɔgthi ṯɔthɔgtha-thi ṯǝthi ṯurmun mac. 4 Nǝ kwomne kwǝthi ŋǝriyǝ kwǝṯir-gi ṯɔgthi, nɔŋweere oro kwǝthi ṯurmun-nǝ mac, laakin nɔŋworo kwǝthi ŋɔma ŋǝthi Allah, kwǝṯinyii-gi kiirasi ŋɔma-lɔ ŋǝthi ŋwɔfeeɽer. 5 Ǝṯiny kiirasi ṯɔppathalɔ ṯǝthi ṯippiŋǝ rogɽo, ṯir ḏiḏ ṯilŋithinǝ ṯǝthi Allah; mindaŋ ǝṯinyii mithǝ ǝfkǝrǝ tatap ŋɔwaaya, ethi iinyici Kwɔrɔstɔ-ŋw nana. 6 Nyiiŋǝ kɔlɔ linaanalɔ cɔgwo-cɔgwop ethi inḏǝthǝ ŋɔdɔrllathɔ ŋaalɔ ŋette nyithak jiizǝ, mǝ ṯiinya naana ṯaalɔ oro min-min.
7 Ŋaaŋa lǝṯi ecce kwomne ŋgwa kwiijinǝ parŋgala. Mǝ kweere nyithak aarɔŋw, nyii kwir kwǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ, ethi-ŋwɔ aari fǝkirǝ ki-rogɽo-na ruuŋwun, kaka nɔrɔ-ŋgwɔ kwǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ, nǝ nyiiŋǝ tok ninyoro luuŋwun. 8 Kaka niti niithiny-gwɔ ṯɔrony mac, kinaŋw nǝllinǝny-gwɔ ki-rogɽo ṯǝllinǝ-thi ṯithǝmthǝ-lɔ ṯokwo, ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi sɔlṯa ŋgwa kwinḏǝthǝ-nyji Kweeleny, ethi-gi kikindǝsi ŋaaŋwɔsi, laakin etheere kiirasi ŋaaŋwɔsi-lɔ mac. 9 Nyii kwiti kwɔnaŋna ŋiɽaŋali ŋɔ ethoro kaka nyii kwɔnaŋna-ŋǝsi ethi ǝnyjici ŋithenya juwaab-gi mac. 10 Kaka naarir-gwɔ lokwoŋw, “Lijuwaab luuŋwun, lǝṯi raari ṯeṯṯec nǝ nǝr ferlle tok, laakin mɔŋw naani yǝy-lɔ kwir aŋna tǝ, ǝṯɔŋw ajli cige-cigep, nǝ ǝṯi kandisa kuuŋun ere ǝthi faayithana kweere mac.” 11 Ethisi lizi lir kaka ṯaŋw, elŋe ethaarɔŋw, ŋǝ ŋǝṯinǝsi lo ki-lijuwaab-na a-naani-nyii tuk, ŋinḏi-ṯǝ ethoroŋw ŋette-ŋette mǝnyii naani yǝy-lɔ ŋaaŋa-li. 12 Nyiiŋǝ liti lɔbɔɔnya mac ethi biɽithi rogɽo rǝri lizi-li kila lǝṯi piŋi rogɽo reeŋen beṯṯen. Laakin mǝr ṯǝccicini-nǝ wɔɽe-wɔɽeny, nǝ mǝr bibɽithi rogɽo-na reeŋen tǝ, ǝṯir ǝni liti lilŋithisi ŋeere mac! 13 Laakin nyiiŋǝ liti lǝthi ŋɔma ethi ǝllini ṯǝllinǝ-thi ṯithǝmthi kǝblǝlɔ mac, laakin ǝṯɔŋw tǝ nannitha kǝblǝnǝ ŋga kǝthi ŋothɽor ŋinḏǝthǝ-nyji Allah, ethi-gi ɔppatha naaniŋa-gwɔ. 14 Nǝ kaka a-naaniŋa-gwɔ ki-yǝblǝ-nǝ kiya, mindaŋ ninyjeere ṯǝmthicǝlɔ mac kinaŋw mǝnyii iila naaniŋa-gwɔ, nǝvicǝr-ŋǝsi-gwɔ lnyjiilǝ wǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ. 15 Ŋwɔṯaŋw ninyeere ǝthi ŋɔma mac ethi ṯamthɔ yǝblǝlɔ ṯǝllinǝ-thi, ki-ŋothɽor-na ŋǝthi kila lithaathɔ mac; laakin nǝ ṯǝkkizǝ kizǝn ṯǝri ǝniŋw, mǝ ṯǝmminǝ ṯaalɔ kikindǝnni tǝ, ǝmǝ ŋothɽor ŋǝthi ṯɔrɔny ṯǝri daŋgal-na orona dar-dar. 16 Ŋwɔṯaŋw mindaŋ minyǝthi ŋɔma ethaari bǝshirǝ Inyjiilǝ ki-libǝlǝḏ lir ter, liti lǝllinǝthi ŋothɽor naana ŋakkisi kwizi kweere mac kwir ter ki-ṯɔrɔny-na ṯuuŋwun. 17 Laakin kaka naarɔ-gwɔ Kiṯaab ŋwɔ, “Ŋgwa kwǝṯi naŋni ethi ǝllini, ethi-ŋw ǝllini Kweeleny-ŋgi.” 18 Kaka ŋgwa kwǝṯi Kweeleny iiɽinǝ, ǝṯɔŋworo kwǝṯɔŋw ǝmmini, laakin nɔŋweere oro ŋgwa kwǝṯi iiɽi rogɽo-na ruuŋwun mac.