| 格林多後書 |
2 Corinthians |
| 1我保祿──就是那在你們中面對面時就謙卑，不在的時候就對你們膽大的──親自藉基督的溫和良善勸告你們， |
1 Now I myself, Paul, urge you through the gentleness and clemency of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but brave toward you when absent, |
| 2甚至求你們，不要叫我到你們那裏時，因果敢而對你們大了膽──這種果敢，本來是我決意要對付那些，以我們為按照血肉行事的人的── |
2 I beg you that, when present, I may not have to be brave with that confidence with which I intend to act boldly against some who consider us as acting according to the flesh. |
| 3我們固然是在血肉中行事，卻不是按照血肉而交戰， |
3For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, |
| 4因為我們作戰的武器，不是屬於血肉的，而是憑天主有力的武器，足以攻破堅固的堡壘：攻破人的詭辯， |
4for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments |
| 5以及一切為反對天主的智識所樹立的高寨，並擄獲一切人的心意，使之服從基督； |
5and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ, |
| 6並且我們已準備停當，及至你們完全服從時，來懲罰一切的不服從。 |
6and we are ready to punish every disobedience, once your obedience is complete. |
| 7你們看看擺在眼前的事實罷！如果有人自信是屬於基督的，他自己該再想想：他怎樣屬於基督，我們也怎樣是； |
7Look at what confronts you. Whoever is confident of belonging to Christ should consider that as he belongs to Christ, so do we. |
| 8因為，即使我對我們的權柄有一點過分的誇耀──這權柄原是主所賜與，為建樹，而不是為破壞你們的──我也不羞愧， |
8And even if I should boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall not be put to shame. |
| 9免得有人以為我好像只會藉着書信來恐嚇你們。 |
9 May I not seem as one frightening you through letters. |
| 10因為有人說：「他的書信的確嚴厲而又強硬，但他本人在時卻軟弱無能，言語又空洞可輕。」 |
10For someone will say, "His letters are severe and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." |
| 11這樣的人該想一想：我們不在的時候，寫信時在言語上是怎樣，我們來到的時候，在行事上也必是怎樣。 |
11Such a person must understand that what we are in word through letters when absent, that we also are in action when present. |
| 12其實，我們不敢拿自己與某些舉薦自己的人同列或相比；他們是以自己來度量自己，以自己來跟自己相比，這決不是明智。 |
12 Not that we dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. |
| 13我們誇耀卻不越過範圍，而只是按照天主所指給我們的界限範圍，照這範圍也一直達到你們那裏。 |
13But we will not boast beyond measure but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, namely, to reach even to you. |
| 14我們並沒有過於伸展自己，好像從沒有到達過你們那裏似的；其實，是我們先帶着基督的福音，到了你們那裏的； |
14For we are not overreaching ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we indeed first came to you with the gospel of Christ. |
| 15我們並沒有越過了範圍，以別人的勞苦而誇耀；我們只希望因着你們信德的長進，在你們中按照指給我們的界限越發開展， |
15We are not boasting beyond measure, in other people's labors; yet our hope is that, as your faith increases, our influence among you may be greatly enlarged, within our proper limits, |
| 16以致將福音傳到你們以外的地方，但不在別人的界限內，以別人已成的事而誇耀。 |
16so that we may preach the gospel even beyond you, not boasting of work already done in another's sphere. |
| 17「凡要誇耀的，應當因主而誇耀」。 |
17"Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord." |
| 18因為不是自己舉薦自己的，那人是可取的，而是天主所舉薦的。 |
18For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord recommends. |
