Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians
11I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”12:11 Or the most eminent apostles even though I am nothing. 12I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?
19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
Masomphenya a Paulo ndi Minga ya Mʼthupi Mwake
1Ndiyenera kupitiriza kudzitamandira. Ngakhale palibe choti ndipindule, ndipitiriza kufotokoza za masomphenya ndi mavumbulutso ochokera kwa Ambuye. 2Ndikudziwa munthu mwa Khristu amene zaka khumi ndi zinayi zapitazo anatengedwa kupita kumwamba kwachitatu. Sindikudziwa ngati zinachitika ali mʼthupi kapena ayi, zimenezo akudziwa ndi Mulungu. 3Ndipo ndikumudziwa munthu ameneyu. Sindikudziwa ngati zinachitika mʼthupi kapena ayi, zimenezo akudziwa ndi Mulungu. 4Munthuyu anatengedwa kupita ku paradizo. Ndipo anamva zinthu zosatheka kuneneka, zinthu zimene munthu saloledwa kunena. 5Ndidzatamanda za munthu ngati ameneyu, koma sindidzadzitamandira ine mwini kupatula za kufowoka kwanga. 6Ngakhale nditafuna kudzitamandira, sindingakhale chitsiru, chifukwa ndikunena zoona. Koma ndimapewa kuti pasapezeke munthu wondiganizira moposera chimene ndili chifukwa cha zimene ndimachita kapena kuyankhula, 7kapena chifukwa cha mavumbulutso aakulu kuposa awa. Choncho, kuti ndisadzitukumule, ndinayikidwa minga mʼthupi langa, wamthenga wa Satana, kuti adzindizunza. 8Katatu konse ndinapempha Ambuye kuti andichotsere. 9Koma anandiwuza kuti, “Chisomo changa ndi chokukwanira, pakuti mphamvu zanga zimaoneka kwathunthu mwa munthu wofowoka.” Choncho ndidzadzitamandira mokondwera chifukwa cha zofowoka zanga, kuti mʼkutero mphamvu ya Khristu ikhale pa ine. 10Tsono, chifukwa cha Khristu, ndimakondwera pamene ndili wofowoka, pamene akundinyoza, pamene ndikumva zowawa, ndi pamene akundizunza ndi kundisautsa. Pakuti pamene ndili wofowoka ndiye kuti ndili wamphamvu.
Paulo Akhudzidwa ndi Akorinto
11Ndadzisandutsa wopusa, koma inu mwandichititsa zimenezi. Ndinu amene munayenera kundichitira umboni. Ngakhale kuti sindine kanthu, koma sindine wochepetsetsa kwa “atumwi apamwamba” aja. 12Ndinapirira pokuonetserani zizindikiro za mtumwi weniweni, pochita pakati panu zizindikiro, zodabwitsa ndi ntchito zamphamvu. 13Kodi inu munaoneka ochepa motani ku mipingo ina, kupatula kuti sindinali cholemetsa kwa inu? Mundikhululukire cholakwa chimenechi!
14Ndakonzeka tsopano kudzakuyenderani kachitatu, ndipo sindidzakhala cholemetsa kwa inu chifukwa ndikungofuna inuyo osati zinthu zanu. Pakuti ana sasamalira makolo koma makolo ndiwo asamalira ana. 15Motero ndidzakondwera kukupatsani zanga zonse zimene ndili nazo ndi kudziperekanso ine mwini chifukwa cha inu. Kodi ine ndikamakukondani kwambiri chotere, inuyo mudzandikonda pangʼono? 16Ena mwa inu amavomereza kuti sindinali cholemetsa. Komabe ena amaganiza kuti ndine wochenjera, ndipo ndinakuchenjererani. 17Kodi ndinakudyerani masuku pamutu kudzera mwa wina aliyense amene ndinamutumiza kwa inu? 18Ndinamupempha Tito kuti abwere kwanuko ndipo ndinamutumiza pamodzi ndi mʼbale wathu. Kodi kapena Tito anakudyerani masuku pamutu? Kodi iye ndi ine sitinachite zinthu mofanana ndi Mzimu mmodzi yemweyo?
19Kodi mukuyesa kuti nthawi yonseyi takhala tikudzitchinjiriza tokha? Takhala tikuyankhula pamaso pa Mulungu monga anthu amene ali mwa Khristu; ndipo abwenzi okondedwa, chilichonse chimene timachita ndi chofuna kukulimbikitsani. 20Pakuti ndikuona kuti pamene ndibwera sindidzakupezani monga mmene ndikufunira kuti muzikhalira, ndipo simungadzandione monga mmene mukufunira kundionera. Ndikuopa kuti pangadzakhale mkangano, nsanje, kupserana mitima, kugawikana, ugogodi, miseche, kudzitukumula ndi chisokonezo. 21Ndikuopa kuti pamene ndidzabwerenso, Mulungu adzandichepetsa pamaso panu, ndipo ndidzamva chisoni ndi ambiri amene anachimwa kale ndipo sanalape zonyansa, zachigololo ndi zilakolako zoyipa zimene anachita.
