2 Corinthians 10 – NIRV & CCB

New International Reader’s Version

2 Corinthians 10:1-18

Paul Speaks Up for His Service to the Church

1Christ is humble and free of pride. Because of this, I make my appeal to you. I, Paul, am the one you call “shy” when I am face to face with you. But when I am away from you, you think I am “bold” toward you. 2I am coming to see you. Please don’t make me be as bold as I expect to be toward some people. They think that I live the way the people of this world live. 3I do live in the world. But I don’t fight my battles the way the people of the world do. 4The weapons I fight with are not the weapons the world uses. In fact, it is just the opposite. My weapons have the power of God to destroy the camps of the enemy. 5I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ. 6Until you have obeyed completely, I will be ready to punish you every time you don’t obey.

7You are judging only by how things look on the surface. Suppose someone is sure they belong to Christ. Then they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8Do I brag too much about the authority the Lord gave me? If I do, it’s because I want to build you up, not tear you down. And I’m not ashamed of that kind of bragging. 9Don’t think that I’m trying to scare you with my letters. 10Some say, “His letters sound important. They are powerful. But in person he doesn’t seem like much. And what he says doesn’t amount to anything.” 11People like that have a lot to learn. What I say in my letters when I’m away from you, I will do in my actions when I’m with you.

12I don’t dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves. I’m not that kind of person. They measure themselves by themselves. They compare themselves with themselves. When they do that, they are not wise. 13But I won’t brag more than I should. God himself has given me an opportunity for serving. I will only brag about what I have done with that opportunity. This opportunity for serving also includes you. 14I am not going too far in my bragging. I would be going too far if I hadn’t come to where you live. But I did get there with the good news about Christ. 15And I won’t brag about work done by others. If I did, I would be bragging more than I should. As your faith continues to grow, I hope that my work among you will greatly increase. 16Then I will be able to preach the good news in the areas beyond you. I don’t want to brag about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17But, “The one who brags should brag about what the Lord has done.” (Jeremiah 9:24) 18Those who praise themselves are not accepted. Those the Lord praises are accepted.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

哥林多后书 10:1-18

保罗论自己的职分

1你们以为我在你们中间的时候很温和,不在你们中间的时候却很严厉。如今,我保罗以基督的谦卑和温柔亲自劝你们: 2我去的时候,请不要逼我这样严厉地对待你们,我的严厉是用来对付那些说我凭血气行事的人。 3因为我虽然活在血肉之躯里,但在属灵的争战上,却不是凭血气之勇。 4我们争战的兵器不是属血气的,乃是从上帝而来的能力,可以摧毁坚固的营垒, 5击破一切的谬论和阻碍人们认识上帝的骄傲言论,夺回被掳去的心思意念,使其顺服基督。 6等你们完全顺服主后,我们就要惩罚那些叛逆的人。

7你们只会看事情的表面。如果有人相信自己属于基督,他就应该再想一想,我们跟他一样也是属于基督的。 8因为主赐给我们权柄是为了造就你们,不是为了毁坏你们,就算我为这权柄稍微夸口,也不会感到羞愧。 9我不想你们认为我写信是要威吓你们。 10因为有人说:“他信中的话有分量,很严厉,他本人却软弱无能,言语粗俗。” 11说这话的人要留心:我们不在你们那里的时候,在信上怎么说,与你们见面时也会怎么做。

12我们不敢和那些自我推荐的人相提并论!他们以自己的尺度衡量自己,自我比较,实在不明智! 13但我们并非漫无边际地夸口,而是在上帝为我们定下的范围之内夸口,你们也包括在这范围之内。 14其实把你们包括在我们夸口的范围之内一点都不过分,因为我们曾把基督的福音传到你们那里。 15我们没有超出范围拿别人辛劳的成果夸口,只盼望随着你们信心的增长,我们的范围也得到极大的扩展, 16使我们可以把福音传到你们以外的地方,而不是在别人的工作范围内拿别人的成就夸口。 17“要夸耀,就当夸耀主的作为。” 18因为,蒙悦纳的是主所称许的人,而不是自我称许的人。