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Ipinagtanggol ni Pablo ang Kanyang Paglilingkod

10 Akong si Pablo, na ang sabi ng ilan ay mapagpakumbaba at mabait kapag kaharap ninyo ngunit matapang kapag wala riyan, ay nakikiusap sa inyo, alang-alang sa kababaang-loob at kabutihan ni Cristo. Ipinapakiusap kong huwag ninyo akong piliting magsalita nang mabigat, pagdating ko riyan, dahil kaya kong gawin iyon sa mga nagsasabing kami'y namumuhay ayon sa pamamaraan ng mundong ito. Kung nabubuhay man kami sa mundong ito, hindi naman kami nakikipaglaban ayon sa pamamaraan ng mundong ito. Ang sandata namin sa pakikipaglaban ay hindi makamundo, kundi ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos na nakakapagpabagsak ng mga kuta. Sinisira namin ang mga maling pangangatuwiran, ginagapi namin ang lahat ng pagmamataas laban sa kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos, at binibihag namin ang lahat ng isipan upang matutong sumunod kay Cristo. Kapag lubos na ang inyong pagsunod, nakahanda kaming parusahan ang lahat ng mga ayaw sumunod.

Ang mga bagay na panlabas lamang ang tinitingnan ninyo. Kung naniniwala ang sinuman na siya'y nakipag-isa kay Cristo, isipin niyang kami man, tulad niya, ay nakipag-isa rin kay Cristo. Ipagmalaki ko man ang kapangyarihang ibinigay sa amin ng Diyos sa ikakatibay ninyo at hindi sa ikapapahamak, hindi ako mapapahiya. Huwag ninyong isiping tinatakot ko kayo sa mga sulat ko. 10 Sinasabi ng ilan na sa mga sulat ko lamang ako matapang, ngunit kapag kaharap nama'y mahina at ang mga salita'y walang kuwenta. 11 Dapat malaman ng mga taong nagsasabi ng ganyan na kung ano ang sinasabi namin sa sulat ngayong wala kami riyan, ay siya rin naming gagawin kapag kaharap na ninyo kami.

12 Hindi kami nangangahas na ipantay o ihambing man lamang ang aming sarili sa ilang nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko. Napakahangal nila! Ang sarili rin nila ang ginagawa nilang sukatan at pamantayan ng kanilang sarili! 13 Hindi kami lalampas sa hangganang ibinigay ng Diyos para sa gawaing itinakda niya sa amin, at kasama riyan ang gawain namin sa inyo. 14 Hindi kami lumampas sa hangganang iyon gayong kami ang unang pumunta riyan sa inyo dala ang Magandang Balita tungkol kay Cristo. 15 Hindi kami lumalampas sa hangganan sa pamamagitan ng pagyayabang sa pinaghirapan ng iba. Sa halip, umaasa kaming tatatag ang inyong pananampalataya sa Diyos, at dahil diyan ay lalawak pa ang aming saklaw sa inyo. 16 Sa gayon, maipapangaral namin ang Magandang Balita sa ibang mga lupain, hindi lamang sa inyo, nang hindi ipinagyayabang ang pinaghirapan ng iba.

17 Tulad(A) ng sinasabi sa kasulatan, “Kung may nais magmalaki, ang ipagmalaki niya'y ang ginawa ng Panginoon.” 18 Hindi ang taong pumupuri sa sarili ang katanggap-tanggap, kundi ang taong pinupuri ng Panginoon.

He refers to the false apostles, and defends his authority and calling.

10 I Paul myself beseech you, by the meekness and softness of Christ – I who when I am present among you am of no reputation, but am bold toward you when absent. I beseech you so that I need not to be bold when I am present (with that same confidence that I am supposed to be bold with) toward some who consider us as though we walked carnally. Nevertheless, though we walk encompassed with the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal things, but things mighty in God to cast down strongholds, with which we overthrow imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity all understanding to the obedience of Christ, and are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience, when your obedience might come to an end. Do you look on things after the outward appearance?

If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him also consider that as he is Christ’s, so also are we Christ’s. And if I were to boast somewhat of our authority, which the Lord has given us to build up, and not to break you down, it would not be to my discredit. I say this so that I do not seem as though I went about to make you afraid with letters. 10 For the epistles (says he) are strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is poor. 11 Let such a man think of it this way: that as we are in words by letters when we are absent, such are we in deeds when we are present.

12 For we cannot find in our hearts to make ourselves of their number, or to compare ourselves with those who laud themselves; nevertheless, while they measure themselves against themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they understand nothing. 13 But we will not boast unduly, but according to the measure of the work that God has assigned to us – a work that reaches even to you. 14 For we are not overrating ourselves, as if we had not reached to you, because we did reach you with the gospel of Christ. 15 And we do not claim undue credit for other men’s labours. Yea, and we hope, when your faith is increased among you, to be advanced further in our work, 16 and to preach the gospel in those regions that are beyond you – and not to boast of that which is prepared already by another man’s work.

17 But let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. 18 For he who praises himself is not accepted, but he whom the Lord praises.

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.(D) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(E) The weapons we fight with(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(G) to demolish strongholds.(H) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(J) to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(K)

You are judging by appearances.[a](L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(N) So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(P) I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(R) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,(T) a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you(U) with the gospel of Christ.(V) 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits(W) by boasting of work done by others.(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel(Z) in the regions beyond you.(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b](AB) 18 For it is not the one who commends himself(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24