1 ل َيتَكُمْ تَحتَمِلُونَ شَيئاً مِنْ حُمقِي! وَأنا أعرِفُ أنَّكُمْ تَحتَمِلُونَنِي!

¶ I wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me.

2 ف َإنِّي غَيُّورٌ عَلَيكُمْ غِيْرَةً إلَهِيَّةً، لِأنِّي خَطَبتُكُمْ لِزَوجٍ واحِدٍ هُوَ المَسِيحُ، لِكَي أُقَدِّمَكُمْ إلَيهِ كَعَروسٍ طاهِرَةٍ.

For I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.

3 ل َكِنِّي أخشَى أنْ يَعبَثَ بَعضُهُمْ بِعُقُولِكُمْ، كَما خَدَعَتِ الحَيَّةُ حَوّاءَ بِمَكْرِها، فَتَتَراجَعُوا عَنِ الوَلاءِ الأصِيلِ لِلمَسِيحِ.

But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

4 إ ذْ يَبدو أنَّكُمْ مُستَعِدُّونَ لِقُبُولَ مَنْ يَأْتِي إلَيكُمْ مُبَشِّراً بِيَسُوعَ آخَرَ لَمْ نُبَشِّر بِهِ، وَرُوحٍ آخَرَ لَمْ تَقبَلُوهُ مِنّا!

Therefore if anyone comes preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit from that which ye have received or another gospel from that which ye have accepted, ye bear well with it.

5 و َأنا لا أظُنُّ أنِّي أقَلُّ شَأْناً فِي شَيءٍ مِنْ هَؤُلاءِ «الرُّسُلِ العِظامِ» الَّذِينَ يَأتُونَ إلَيكُمْ.

¶ I reckon that I have not been inferior in any way to those grandiose apostles.

6 ر ُبَّما أكُونُ مَحدُودَ القُدرَةِ فِي الكَلامِ، غَيْرَ أنِّي لَستُ مَحدُوداً فِي المَعرِفَةِ! وَقَدْ بَرهَنّا لَكُمْ هَذا بِوُضُوحٍ بِكُلِّ طَرِيقَةٍ وَفِي كُلِّ أمرٍ.

But though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

7 أ مْ لَعَلِّي ارتَكَبتُ خَطِيَّةً بِإنزالِ مَقامِيَ، إذْ بَشَّرتُكُمْ دُونَ مُقابِلٍ، لِكَي يَرتَفِعَ مَقامُكُمْ؟

Have I committed an offence in humbling myself that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 ف َقَدْ أثقَلتُ عَلَى كَنائِسَ أُخْرَى مادِّياً، لِكَي أتَمَكَّنَ مِنْ خِدمَتِكُمْ.

I deprived the other congregations, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9 و َلَمّا كُنتُ أحتاجُ إلَى شَيءٍ وَأنا مَعَكُمْ، لَمْ أُثقِلْ عَلَى أحَدٍ مِنكُمْ. بَلْ إنَّ الإخوَةَ الَّذِينَ وَصَلُوا مِنْ مَكدُونِيَّةَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ سَدُّوا حاجَتِي. وَفِي كُلِّ شَيءٍ لَمْ أسمَحْ لِنَفسِي، وَلَنْ أسمَحَ لَها، بِأنْ تَكُونَ عِبئاً عَلَيكُمْ.

And when I was present with you and had need, I was not a burden to any of you, for that which was lacking to me was supplied by the brethren which came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

10 و َما دامَ حَقُّ المَسِيحِ فِي داخِلي، لَنْ يَمنَعَنِي أحَدٌ مِنَ الِافتِخارِ بِهَذا فِي كُلِّ مُقاطَعَةِ أخائِيَّةَ.

It is the truth of Christ in me that this glory shall not be sealed up unto me in the regions of Achaia.

11 ل ِماذا؟ ألِأنِّي لا أُحِبُّكُمْ؟ يَعلَمُ اللهُ كَمْ أُحِبُّكُمْ!

Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

12 ل َكِنِّي سَأُواصِلُ ما أعمَلُهُ، لِكَي لا أترُكَ مَجالاً لِهَؤُلاءِ الَّذِيْنَ يَفتَخِرُونَ بِأنَّ عَمَلَهُمْ مُساوٍ لِعَمَلِنا.

But what I do, I will continue to do that I may take away the occasion from those who desire it to be found like unto us in that in which they glory.

13 ف َمِثلُ هَؤُلاءِ هُمْ رُسُلٌ زائِفُونَ، عُمّالٌ مُخادِعُونَ، يَتَنَكَّرُونَ فِي صُورَةِ رُسُلٍ لِلمَسِيحِ.

For these false apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

14 و َلا عَجَبَ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَالشَّيطانُ نَفسُهُ يَتَنَكَّرُ فِي صُورَةِ مَلاكِ نُورٍ!

And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

15 ف َلَيسَ صَعباً أنْ يَتَنَكَّرَ خُدّامُهُ فِي صُورَةِ خُدّامٍ لِلبِرِّ، لَكِنَّهُمْ سَيَنالُونَ فِي النِّهايَةِ ما يَستَحِقُّونَهُ جَزاءَ ما فَعَلُوا. حَدِيثُ بُولُسَ عَنْ مُعاناتِه

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

16 و َها أنا أقُولُ مِنْ جَدِيدٍ: لا يَظُنَّ أحَدٌ أنِّي أحمَقُ! لَكِنْ إنْ ظَنَنتُمْ هَذا، فَاقبَلُونِي عَلَى أنِّي أحمَقُ، لِكَي أتَمَكَّنَ مِنَ الِافتِخارِ قَلِيلاً.

¶ I say again, Let no one think me a fool if otherwise, receive me as a fool, that I may yet glory a little.

17 و َأنا لا أقُولُ ما أقُولُهُ الآنَ كَما لَوْ أنَّ الرَّبَّ يُرِيدُنِي أنْ أقُولَ ذَلِكَ، بَلْ كَأحمَقٍ يَجرؤُ عَلَى الِافتِخارِ!

That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of glory.

18 ي َفتَخِرُ كَثِيرُونَ بِنَجاحِهِمُ الدُّنيَوِيِّ، فَسَأفتَخِرُ أنا أيضاً!

Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

19 ف َأنتُمُ العُقَلاءُ تَحتَمِلُونَ الحَمقَى بِسُرُورٍ.

For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

20 ت َحتَمِلُونَ أنْ يَستَعبِدَكُمْ أحَدٌ، أوْ أنْ يَستَغِلَّكُمْ أحَدٌ، أوْ أنْ يَنتَفِخَ عَلَيكُمْ أحَدٌ، أوْ أنْ يَصفَعَكُمْ أحَدٌ عَلَى وُجُوهِكُمْ!

For ye suffer it if anyone brings you into bondage, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes of you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone smites you on the face.

21 ف َيا لِلخَجَلِ! كَمْ كُنّا ضُعَفاءَ مَعَكُمْ! لَكِنْ حَيثُ إنِّي أتَكَلَّمُ بِحُمقٍ، إنْ كانَ أحَدٌ يَجرُؤُ عَلَى الِافتِخارِ، فَسَأفتَخِرُ أنا أيضاً.

I speak as concerning the reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit in that in which another is bold, (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.

22 ه َلْ هُمْ عِبرانِيُّونَ؟ فَأنا عِبرانِيٌّ كَذَلِكَ. هَلْ هُمْ مِنْ بَنِي إسرائِيلَ؟ فَأنا كَذَلِكَ. هَلْ هُمْ مِنْ أولادِ إبراهِيمَ؟ فَأنا كَذَلِكَ.

¶ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23 ه َلْ هُمْ خُدّامُ المَسِيحِ؟ أقُولُ كَمُختَلِّ العَقلِ، إنِّي أفُوقُهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ! فَقَدْ جاهَدتُ أكثَرَ، وَسُجِنتُ أكثَرَ، وَتَعَرَّضتُ لِلضَّربِ الشَّدِيدِ، وَواجَهتُ خَطَرَ المَوتِ مَرّاتٍ كَثِيرَةً.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

24 ج َلَدَنِي اليَهُودُ خَمسَ مَرّاتٍ، تِسعاً وَثَلاثِيْنَ جَلدَةً فِي كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ.

Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one.

25 و َضُرِبتُ بِالعِصِيِّ ثَلاثَ مَرّاتٍ، وَرُجِمتُ مَرَّةً، وَتَحَطَّمَتْ بِي السَّفِينَةُ ثَلاثَ مَرّاتٍ، وَأمضَيتُ نَهاراً وَلَيلَةً فِي مِياهِ البَحرِ.

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck, night and day I have been in the deep;

26 س افَرتُ بَرّاً أسفاراً كَثِيرَةً. وَتَعَرَّضتُ لِمَخاطِرِ السُّيُولِ، وَمَخاطِرِ اللُّصُوصِ، وَمَخاطِرَ مِنَ اليَهُودِ وَمِنْ غَيرِ اليَهُودِ، وَمَخاطِرَ فِي المَدِينَةِ، وَمَخاطِرَ فِي الرِّيفِ، وَمَخاطِرَ فِي البَحرِ، وَمَخاطِرَ مِنَ الإخوَةِ الزّائِفِينَ.

in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by those of my nation, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 ع ِشتُ وَسطَ الكَدِّ وَالتَّعَبِ. وَفِي لَيالٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ أعرِف طَعمَ النَّومِ. جُعتُ وَعَطِشتُ. وَبَقِيتُ دُونَ طَعامٍ مَرّاتٍ كَثِيرَةً، وَقاسَيتُ البَردَ دُونَ مَلابِسَ.

in labour and travail, in many watches, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness.

28 و َفَضلاً عَنْ هَذِهِ المَشاكِلِ كُلِّها، عَلَيَّ ضُغُوطٌ يَومِيَّةٌ تَتَعَلَّقُ بِالِاهتِمامِ بِأُمُورِ كُلِّ الكَنائِسِ.

Beside those things that are without, my daily combat is the welfare of all the congregations.

29 ف َمَنْ يَضعُفُ وَلا أُشارِكُهُ ضَعفَهُ؟ وَمَنْ يَسقُطُ فِي خَطِيَّةٍ وَلا ألتَهِبُ؟

Who is sick, and I am not sick? who stumbles, and I burn not?

30 ف َإنْ كانَ لا بُدَّ لِي أنْ أفتَخِرَ، فَسَأفتَخِرُ بِما يُظْهِرُ ضَعفِي.

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.

31 و َيَعلَمُ إلَهُ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ وَأبُوهُ المُبارَكُ إلَى الأبَدِ، أنِّي لا أكذِبُ.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie.

32 ف َعِندَما كُنتُ فِي دِمَشقَ، أمَرَ الوالِي الَّذِي يَعمَلُ تَحتَ سُلطَةِ المَلِكِ الحارِثِ بِحِراسَةِ المَدِينَةِ لِكَي يَقْبِضَ عَلَيَّ.

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me;

33 ل َكِنَّ الإخوَةَ أنزَلُونِي فِي سَلِّةٍ مِنْ نافِذَةٍ فِي سُورِ المَدِينَةِ، فَنَجَوتُ مِنْ يَدِهِ.

and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall and escaped his hands.