Paul and the False Apostles
1 I wish you would tolerate me, even when I am a bit foolish. Please do! 2 I am jealous for you, just as God is; you are like a pure virgin whom I have promised in marriage to one man only, Christ himself. 3 I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ—in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake's clever lies. 4 For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!
5 I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called “apostles” of yours! 6 Perhaps I am an amateur in speaking, but certainly not in knowledge; we have made this clear to you at all times and in all conditions.
7 I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me? 8 While I was working among you, I was paid by other churches. I was robbing them, so to speak, in order to help you. 9 And during the time I was with you I did not bother you for help when I needed money; the believers who came from Macedonia brought me everything I needed. As in the past, so in the future: I will never be a burden to you! 10 By Christ's truth in me, I promise that this boast of mine will not be silenced anywhere in all of Achaia. 11 Do I say this because I don't love you? God knows I love you!
12 I will go on doing what I am doing now, in order to keep those other “apostles” from having any reason for boasting and saying that they work in the same way that we do. 13 Those men are not true apostles—they are false apostles, who lie about their work and disguise themselves to look like real apostles of Christ. 14 Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light! 15 So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.
Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle
16 I repeat: no one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, just so I will have a little to boast of. 17 Of course what I am saying now is not what the Lord would have me say; in this matter of boasting I am really talking like a fool. 18 But since there are so many who boast for merely human reasons, I will do the same. 19 You yourselves are so wise, and so you gladly tolerate fools! 20 You tolerate anyone who orders you around or takes advantage of you or traps you or looks down on you or slaps you in the face. 21 I am ashamed to admit that we were too timid to do those things!
But if anyone dares to boast about something—I am talking like a fool—I will be just as daring. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23 Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman—but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. 24 Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; 25 three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. 26 In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. 27 There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. 28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.
30 If I must boast, I will boast about things that show how weak I am. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus—blessed be his name forever!—knows that I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me. 33 But I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.
Bɔɔlɔs-ŋǝ yaavɔr-yi yir lǝluŋw
1 Nyii kwɔnaŋna-ŋǝsi ethi indinyanni ŋeeɽera naana riinyi. Athrɔ ǝrrǝrsi ṯǝ ŋɔ! 2 Nyii kwigiicǝ-ŋǝsi ŋiɽany ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi Allah, ŋaaŋa lir kaka letteṯ lǝgmiṯicǝ-nyii kwɔɔrɔ kwɔtɔpɔt dak, nɔŋwṯoro kwǝni Kwɔrɔsto rogɽo ruuŋwun. 3 Laakin nyii-ŋgwɔ kwɔthiinya kaka nikǝɽinyjǝ-gwɔ kimǝw Hawǝ-ŋwɔ-lɔ araay-yi wuuŋwun, mindaŋ mǝ ǝfkǝr waalɔ ere ṯirenyje ṯamɽa-lɔ ṯaalɔ mac ṯiccaw ṯǝṯi-thi amɽi Kwɔrɔstɔ-ŋw. 4 Kaka mɔŋw iila kwette, mɔŋwɔccǝ ŋaaŋwɔsi bǝshirǝ Yǝcu-ŋgi kwir ter, ethi ŋgwala kwǝccǝr-ŋǝsi-gi bǝshirǝ, ya mǝ aavi ṯigɽimǝ ṯithimthina, ethi kithala ṯaavaŋa kerreny, ya mǝmmini inyjiilǝ wir teri ethi wala wǝmmmicǝ-ŋǝ kerreny, mindaŋ ǝṯisi-tǝ aami ǝmminǝlɔ kwɔccɔṯ! 5 Nyii kwaarɔ-ŋwa, nyii kwiti kwir kwokwɔɽonny ethi “kiyaavɔr-la” kiya yɔppa mac! 6 Mǝnyii kinnǝni ere aami andasiŋw mac, ǝṯi-nyji-tǝ elŋeṯṯe-na; nyiiŋǝ lǝṯi-ŋǝsi andicalɔ por-por nyaamin tatap nǝ ki-ŋiɽaŋal-na tatap.
7 Nyii kwǝni kwakkwɔ pir kinaŋw mǝnyii ǝjlinni ki-rogɽo mindaŋ ethi peŋe ŋaaŋa duŋgwuny-lǝ kaka mǝŋǝsi-gwɔ ǝccǝ bǝshirǝ Inyjiilǝ wǝthi Allah wiira ɔjrana? 8 Nyii kwǝṯi uvuni yǝniisǝ yithaathɔ ṯɔɔvi ethi mǝcci nyuŋwɔ, mindaŋ ethi-mǝ ǝthi ŋɔma ethi ǝkkici ŋaaŋwɔsi ŋothɽor, nǝ ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi-ṯǝ ŋɔ ninyjǝni limǝ-nyji yee. 9 Nǝ kinaŋw a-naaniny ŋaaŋali ǝṯi-nyii kwomne iiraci, laakin ninyeere naŋni ethi uvuni kweere ṯɔɔvi mac, kaka nimǝccǝny-gwɔ liyǝŋgǝri linḏi Makḏuuniiyyǝ-ŋgi. Ŋwɔṯaŋw nǝnyii aŋranni beṯṯen etheere uvuni ŋaaŋwɔsi ṯɔɔvi ṯǝthi kwomne kweere mac, nǝ nǝnyii-tǝ kittatha ethi-tǝ aŋranni. 10 Kaka ŋa ŋir rerrem ŋǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ ŋinaaniny-gwɔna, nyii kwǝccǝ-ŋǝsi ŋwɔ, ṯǝllinǝ ṯiinyi ṯiti ṯǝthi ŋɔma mac, ethi iɽinyannalɔ Akhaa-iiyya-ŋw naana tatap. 11 E-ta ŋǝni ŋandisa-nyji ŋɔ kaka niti namɽa-ŋǝsi-gwɔ mac-a? Allah wɔrɔ wilŋithi rac, namɽa-ŋǝsi-gwɔ!
12 Nǝ ŋa ŋǝṯi-nyji ǝrri, ǝnyji-tǝ ǝrrizǝsǝlǝ dɔṯṯɔk, mindaŋ ethi rilli “yaavɔra yithaathɔ” etheere ǝthi sǝbǝbǝ kweere mac kwǝthi-gwɔ ǝllinǝthǝ, ethaarɔŋw nyii-ŋǝ lǝṯi akkɔ ŋothɽor tok ŋir kaka ŋǝri. 13 Lizi lir kaka ṯǝŋw, lir yaavɔr yir ŋindiny, lir lothɽor lir lǝluŋw, ǝṯir iijini lir kaka yaavɔr yǝthi Kwɔrɔstɔ. 14 Ǝṯi-ŋǝsi ŋiɽaŋal ŋɔ liŋɽasa mac, kaka nǝṯi-gwɔ Shiṯaan wɔɽe-wɔɽeny ruusi rogɽo ruuŋwun meleka kwǝthi fɔɔri. 15 Ŋwɔṯaŋw nǝreere oro ŋiliŋɽasa mac, mǝ yaḏaam yuuŋwun ruusi rogɽo reeŋen kaka yaḏaam yǝthi ŋirllalɔ. Nǝ kwaathan-gi tǝ, ǝri aavi ɔjra wɔvthannicasi wǝthi ŋothɽo ŋeeŋen.
Ṯurvǝ ṯǝthi Bɔɔlɔs ṯinḏa-ŋwɔ kaka kaavɔr.
16 Ethi-ŋǝsi aaɽaci ŋɔ ŋwaarana kwokwony ŋǝniŋw, ǝṯi-nyii kwizi kweere ruusǝ keeɽer mac; laakin mǝr-nyii-tǝ ruusi kinnǝ ṯǝŋw-tǝ, ǝri-nyii-tǝ ǝmmini ṯǝŋw ŋeeɽer-ŋina, mindaŋ minyǝthi ŋɔma ethi ǝllini nyii tok kwokwo. 17 Imba ŋɔ ŋandisa-nyji kire-kirem-ŋgwɔ, ŋiti ŋindǝr ŋǝŋgi-ŋi Kweeleny ǝmminici nyuŋwɔ mac ethisi andasi; nǝ ki-ŋiɽaral-na ŋɔ ŋǝthi ṯǝllinǝ, ninyǝni kwandisa rerrem kaka kǝɽiyǝŋ. 18 Laakin kaka a-naanir luuru lǝṯi ǝllini kwomne-gi kwǝthi ŋizigwunǝŋ domony, nǝ ǝnyji-ṯǝ ǝrri nyii tok ṯǝŋw. 19 Kaka nǝthiŋǝ-gwɔ yǝnǝ rogɽo-ri raalɔ, nǝrṯoro ŋɔ ŋǝṯi-ŋi aamina ethi indinyanni ŋǝɽiyǝŋǝ naana! 20 Mǝŋǝsi kwizi kweere ruusi lɔwaay ǝṯisi indinyanni naana, ya mɔŋw yatha ŋaaŋwɔsi, ya mɔŋw ajlasi ŋaaŋwɔsi, ya mɔŋw piŋi rogɽo, ya mɔŋw ippi ŋaaŋwɔsi kerge-ŋi kiyǝnǝ! 21 Ṯɔrony ṯimthi-nyii beṯṯen, nǝ laazim nyaarɔŋwa, nyiiŋǝ lǝjlinnǝ beṯṯen ethisi-ṯǝ ǝrri-ŋa ŋette-ŋette! Laakin mǝ kweere bonye ethi ǝllini ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋɔ tǝ e-ta ǝnyji andasi kaka kǝɽiyǝŋ, mindaŋ nyii bonye nyii tok ethi-gi ǝllini. 22 Mǝroro @ibraaniiyyiin, nǝnyii oro nyii tok! Mǝroro ŋwɔɔla ŋwɔthi Ibraahiim, nǝnyii oro nyii tok! 23 Mǝroro yaḏaam yǝthi Yǝcu Kwɔrɔstɔ, nǝnyii-moro kwɔthamthisi rerrec. Nyii-ŋgwɔ kwandisa kaka kwizi kwir kǝɽiyǝŋ ǝṯinyii-gwɔ akkɔ ŋothror ŋɔmmaŋi, ǝṯinyii naani ki-sijin-nǝ nyaamin nyuuru, nǝrnyii inḏǝthǝ jǝlḏǝ kwuuru, nǝ nyaamin nyittǝzir ǝṯi-nyii aadithi ethi ai. 24 Nyaamin-na ṯɔthni, nǝnyii yahuuḏ inḏǝthǝ jǝlḏǝ nyaamin-na ṯuɽi-wrii kwunǝṯurri. 25 Nyaamin-na ṯoɽol nǝrnyii ippi nyɔmɔr-nyi, taamin tette nǝrnyii accathalɔ yall-yi. Nǝ nyaamin-na ṯoɽol nǝnyii-gi mɔrkǝb kee, nǝnyii naani ki-bahar-na kulu-kulu kaaŋwɔn-kaaŋwɔn. 26 Nǝ irǝri-ŋgi kwiinyi kwittǝzir, ǝṯi-nyii kaṯṯasi khaṯara kiiru-nǝ nǝ lɔɔɽam tok, nǝnyii kaṯṯasi naani-gwɔ lizi liinyi lir Yahuuḏ nǝ ki Umam-na tok, nǝnyii kaṯṯasi khaṯara tok ki-muḏun-nǝ, khaṯara ki-sahraa-na, khaṯara ki-bahar-na, nǝ khaṯara naanɔ-gwɔ liyǝŋgǝri lir ŋidiny. 27 Ǝti-nyii akkɔ ŋothɽor ŋifirlli, nǝ ṯurvǝ tok, ǝṯi-nyii naani dok-dok yǝyǝlɔ kilkǝlɔ, ǝṯi-nyii naani yaaŋwɔ-yi nǝ ǝwthǝ-yi tok, nǝ ŋwɔɔmɔri ŋwuuru ǝṯi-nyii ere ethneya-na wuuru mac, ǝṯi-nyii naani nyaamin nyuuru kɔrɔn-gi nǝ lɔvdɔṯṯɔ tok. 28 Nǝ ŋithaathɔ ŋigɽǝzǝ-nyji kwomne naana ŋgwɔ tatap, ninyǝthi ṯɔɔvi ṯinii ŋwaamin tatap, ethi aŋɽaci yǝniisǝ. 29 Mǝ kweere ajli, ǝṯi-nyii ajli nyii tok, mɔŋw iidi kweere ki-ŋikiya-na, ǝṯinyii ṯɔgwor kaṯṯɔ kwɔrop.
30 Nǝ mǝroro laazim ethi ǝllini tǝ, nyii-ŋi ǝllini ŋa ŋinḏi-nyii ethi ruwǝcci ṯajlalɔ ṯir ŋɔwaay ŋiinyi. 31 Ethi Allah ɔrtanni dok-dok wir Papa kwǝthi Kweeleny kwǝni Yǝcu. Ŋilŋithi-nyji rac ethaarɔŋw, nyii kwiti kwɔkǝkkǝ ŋǝluŋi mac. 32 A-naaniny Ḏimashga nǝ mɔhaafis kwɔnaanɔ ki-ŋeeleny-na ŋǝthi mǝlik kwǝni Ariṯaas, nɔŋw kette laŋɽa ethi karni ŋwɔbaaba ŋwɔthi mǝḏiinǝ kwǝthi Ḏimashŋa-ŋw beṯṯen, mindaŋ ethi mithǝ nyuŋwɔ. 33 Laakin nǝrnyii ɔɽasa ki-sǝbǝṯ-nǝ nǝrnyii dǝppǝ lɔvɽɔ-li lǝthi heyṯa mindaŋ nǝnyii kilatha ŋunduŋw ki-rii-na ruuŋwun.