1 N ow I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

Na, naku ake, na Paora, tenei tohe ki a koutou na te tikanga mahaki me te ngakau ngawari o te Karaiti, he mea iti nei ahau i ahau i kona i roto i a koutou, i tawhiti nei ia e maia ana ki a koutou:

2 B ut I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Ae ra, e tohe ana ahau ki a koutou, kia kaua ahau ina tae atu e maro ki te whakaputa i te maia, pera me taku e mea nei kia maia ki etahi, e whakaaro nei ki a matou, ano ko ta matou whakahere no te kikokiko.

3 F or though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

No te mea ahakoa haereere matou i roto i te kikokiko, ehara i te kikokiko ta matou whawhai;

4 F or the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Ehara hoki nga rakau o ta matou pakanga i te mea no te kikokiko, engari he kaha i roto i te Atua hei whakahoro i nga pa kaha:

5 c asting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Horo ana i a matou nga whakaaroaronga me nga mea ikeike katoa e whakakake ana kite matauranga ki te Atua, a riro parau mai ana nga whakaaro katoa, ka meinga kia ngohengohe ki a te Karaiti;

6 a nd being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Reality of Paul’s Authority

Me te noho rite ano ki te whakapa riri mo nga mahi tutu katoa, ina tino ngohengohe rawa koutou.

7 D o you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

E titiro ana koutou ki nga mea kei mua i to koutou mata. Ki te u te whakaaro o tetahi no te Karaiti ia, me mahara ia ki tenei mea ano hoki, no te Karaiti ia, pena ano hoki matou.

8 F or even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—

Ahakoa hoki ahua rahi ake taku whakamanamana mo nga tikanga i a matou nei, na te Ariki nei i homai hei hanga ake i a koutou, ehara i te mea hei tuku i a koutou ki raro, e kore ahau e meinga kia whakama:

9 l est I seem to terrify you by letters.

Kia kaua ahau e meatia e whakawehi ana i a koutou ki aku pukapuka.

10 “ For his letters,” they say, “ are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

Ko ana pukapuka hoki, e ai ki ta ratou, he taimaha, he kaha; ko tona tinana ia i a ia i konei he ngoikore, ko tana korero he korekore noa iho.

11 L et such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. Limits of Paul’s Authority

Kia mahara taua tu tangata ki tenei, na ko to matou ahua i nga kupu o nga pukapuka i a matou e ngaro mai nei, koia ano to matou rite ki nga mahi me i kona matou.

12 F or we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

E kore hoki matou e maia ki te whakauru atu, ki te whakariterite ranei i a matou ki etahi e whakapai nei ki a ratou ano: i a ratou ia e mehua nei i a ratou ki a ratou ano, e whakariterite nei i a ratou ki a ratou ano, kahore o ratou matauranga.

13 W e, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.

E kore hoki matou e whakamanamana ki tua atu i to matou mehua, engari ka rite ki te mehua o te wahanga i whakaritea mai e te Atua ma matou, e tae atu ai ki a koutou rawa.

14 F or we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ;

Kahore hoki a matou totoro noa atu, e kiia ai kahore he taenga atu mo matou ki a koutou: i tae atu na hoki matou ki a koutou rawa na i runga i te rongopai o te Karaiti:

15 n ot boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,

E kore hoki matou e whakamanamana ki ko atu i to matou mehua, ara, ki nga mahi a etahi atu; engari e u ana to matou whakaaro, ka tupu haere to koutou whakapono, ka ai koutou hei whakanui i a matou, e tino rite rawa ai ki to matou ruri;

16 t o preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

Kia kauwhautia ai te rongopai ki nga wahi i ko atu i a koutou, kia kaua hoki e whakamanamana i runga i to te tangata ke ruri ki nga mea e noho tata ana ki to matou ringa.

17 B ut “he who glories, let him glory in the L ord.”

Ki te whakamanamana ia tetahi, me whakamanamana ia ki te Ariki.

18 F or not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

He teka hoki ko te tangata e whakapai ana ki a ia ano ka tikangatia, engari ko ta te Ariki e whakapai ai.