Beginning
10 And I myself Paul beseech you, by the mildness and softness of Christ[a], which in the face am meek among you, and I absent trust in you.
2 For I pray you, that lest I present be not bold by the trust, in which I am guessed to be bold into some, that deem us, as if we wander after the flesh.[b]
3 For we walking in the flesh, fight not after the flesh.
4 For the arms of our knighthood be not fleshly, but mighty by God to the destruction of strengths [to the destruction of wardings, or strengths].
5 And we destroy counsels, and all highness that higheth itself against the science of God, and drive into captivity all understanding into the service of Christ.[c]
6 And we have ready to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be filled. [Also having in readiness to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.]
7 See ye the things that be after the face. If any man trusteth to himself, that he is of Christ, think he this thing again with himself, for as he is Christ's, so also we [so and we].
8 For if I shall glory any thing more of our power, which the Lord gave to us into edifying, and not into your destruction, I shall not be shamed.
9 But that I be not guessed as to frighten you by epistles, [Forsooth that I be not guessed as to fear you by epistles,]
10 for they say, That epistles be grievous and strong, but the presence of the body is feeble, and the word worthy to be despised.[d]
11 He that is such one, think this, for such as we absent be in word by epistles, such we be present in deed.
12 For we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some men, that commend themselves; but we measure us in us selves, and comparison us selves to us. [Soothly we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some, that commend themselves; but we meting, or measuring, us in ourselves, and comparisoning ourselves to us.]
13 For we shall not have glory over measure, but by the measure of the rule [but after the measure of rule] which God measured to us, the measure that stretcheth [till] to you.
14 For we overstretch not forth us, as not stretching to you. For [till] to you we came in the gospel of Christ,
15 not glorying over measure in other men's travails. For we have hope of your faith that waxeth in you to be magnified by our rule in abundance [Soothly we having hope of your faith waxing in you to be magnified after our rule in abundance],
16 also to preach into those things that be beyond you, not to have glory in other man's rule [not to glory in other man's rule], in these things that be made ready.
17 [Forsooth] He that glorieth, have glory in the Lord [glory he in the Lord].
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved [is proved], but whom God commendeth.
11 I would that ye would suffer a little thing of mine unwisdom, but also support ye me.[e]
2 For I love you by the love of God; for I have espoused [spoused] you to one husband, to yield a chaste virgin to Christ [to give you, a chaste virgin, to one man, Christ].
3 But I dread, lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his subtle fraud, so your wits be corrupted, and fallen down from the simpleness that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh, preacheth another Christ, whom we preached not, or if ye take another spirit, whom ye took not [whom ye received not], or another gospel, which ye received not, rightly ye should suffer.
5 For I ween that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.
6 For though I be unlearned in word, but not in knowing. For in all things I am open to you. [For why though I be unlearned in sermon, or word, but not in science, or knowing. Forsooth in all things I am showed, or made known, to you.]
7 Or whether I have done sin, meeking myself [meeking, or making low, myself], that ye be enhanced, for freely I preached to you the gospel of God?
8 I made naked other churches, and I took wages to your service. [I spoiled, or made naked, or took gifts, of other churches, taking wages to your service.]
9 And when I was among you, and had need [And when I was with you, and needed], I was chargeous to no man; for brethren that came from Macedonia, fulfilled that that failed to me [supplied, or fulfilled, that that failed to me]. And in all things I have kept [me], and shall keep me without charge to you.
10 The truth of Christ is in me; for this glory shall not be broken in me in the countries of Achaia [in the regions, or countries, of Achaia].
11 Why? for I love not you? God knoweth.
12 For that that I do, and that I shall do, is that I cut away the occasion of them that will occasion, that in the thing, in which they glory, they be found [such] as we.
13 For such false apostles be treacherous workmen, and transfigure them(selves) into apostles of Christ.[f]
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself transfigureth him(self) into an angel of light. [And no wonder; soothly he Satan transfigured him into an angel of light.]
15 Therefore it is not great, if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of rightwiseness, whose end shall be after their works.
16 Again I say, lest any man guess me to be unwise [lest any man deem me unwise]; else take ye me as unwise, that also I have glory a little what.
17 That that I speak, I speak not after God, but as in unwisdom [but as to unwisdom], in this substance of glory.
18 For many men glory after the flesh, and I shall glory.
19 For ye suffer gladly unwise men, when ye yourselves be wise.
20 For ye suffer, if any man driveth you into servage [if any man drive you into servage], if any man devoureth, if any man taketh, if any man is enhanced [by pride], if any man smiteth you on the face.
21 By unnobleness I say, as if we were frail in this part[g]. In what thing any man dare, in unwisdom I say, and I dare.
22 They be Hebrews, and I; they be Israelites, and I; they be the seed of Abraham, and I;
23 they be the ministers of Christ, and I. As less wise I say, I more; in full many travails, in prisons more plenteously, in wounds above manner [in wounds above manner, or over measure], in deaths oft times.
24 I received of the Jews five times forty strokes one less;
25 thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was at ship-break, a night and a day I was in the deepness of the sea;
26 in ways oft, in perils of rivers [in perils of floods], in perils of thieves, in perils of kin, in perils of heathen men, in perils in [the] city, in perils in desert, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,
27 in travail and neediness, in many wakings, in hunger, in thirst [in travail and neediness, either mis-ease, in many wakings, in hunger and thirst], in many fastings, in cold and nakedness.
28 Without those things that be withoutforth, mine each day's travailing is the busyness of all churches. [Without those things that be withoutforth; mine each day's waking, or studying, the busyness of all churches.]
29 Who is frail, and I am not frail? who is caused to stumble, and I am not burnt? [Who is sick, and I am not sick? who is offended, and I am not burnt?]
30 If it behooveth to glory, I shall glory in those things that be of mine infirmity [that be of my infirmity, or frailty].
31 [For] God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is blessed into worlds, knoweth that I lie not [knoweth, that I gab not, or lie not].
32 The provost of Damascus, of the king of the folk of Aretas [The provost, or keeper, of Damascus, of the king of the folk Arteas], kept the city of Damascenes to take me;
33 and by a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and so I escaped his hands.
12 If it behooveth to have glory, it speedeth not; but I shall come to the visions and the revelations of the Lord. [If it behooveth to glory, soothly it speedeth not; forsooth I shall come to the visions and revelations of the Lord.]
2 I know a man in Christ that before fourteen years; whether in body, whether out of body, I know not, God knoweth; that such a man was snatched (up) unto the third heaven [such a man snatched (up) till to the third heaven].
3 And I know such a man; whether in body, or out of body, I know not, God knoweth;
4 that he was snatched (up) into paradise, and heard privy words, which it is not leaveful to a man [for] to speak.
5 For such manner things I shall glory [For such manner thing I shall glory]; but for me nothing, but in mine infirmities.
6 For if I shall desire to glory [For why and if I shall will to glory], I shall not be unwise, for I shall say truth; but I spare, lest any man guess me over that thing that he seeth in me, or heareth any thing of me.
7 And lest the greatness of revelations enhance me in pride, the prick of my flesh, an angel of Satan, is given to me, that he buffet me.
8 For which thing thrice I prayed the Lord, that it should go away from me.
9 And he said to me, My grace sufficeth to thee; for virtue is perfectly made in infirmity. Therefore gladly I shall glory in mine infirmities, that the virtue of Christ dwell in me.
10 For which thing I am pleased in mine infirmities, in despisings [in wrong despisings, or reprovings], in needs, in persecutions, in anguishes, for Christ; for when I am frail [for when I am sick], then I am mighty.
11 I am made witless [I am made unwitty], ye constrained me. For I ought to be commended of you; for I did nothing less than they that be apostles over measure. Though I am nought [Though I be nought],
12 nevertheless the signs of mine apostlehood be made on you, in all patience, and signs, and great wonders, and works of power. [nevertheless the signs of my apostlehood be made on you, in all patience, and signs, or miracles, and great wonders, and virtues.]
13 And what is it, that ye had less than other churches [that ye had less before other churches], [no] but that I myself grieved you not? Forgive ye to me this wrong.
14 Lo! this third time I am ready to come to you, and I shall not be grievous to you; for I seek not those things that be yours, but you. For neither sons owe to [make] treasure to father and mother, but the father and mother to the sons.
15 For I shall give most willfully [For I most willfully shall give], and I myself shall be given over for your souls; though I more love you, and be less loved.
16 But be it; I grieved not you, but when I was subtle[h], I took you with guile.
17 Whether I deceived you by any of them, which I sent to you [whom I sent to you]?
18 I prayed Titus, and I sent with him a brother. Whether Titus beguiled you? whether we went not in the same spirit? whether not in the same steps?
19 Sometime ye ween, that we shall excuse us with you. Before God in Christ we speak; and, most dear brethren [forsooth, most dear brethren], all things for your edifying.
20 But I dread, lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I will, and I shall be found of you such as ye will not; lest peradventure strivings, envies, indignations [sturdinesses], dissensions and detractions, privy speeches of discord, swellings by pride, debates be among you;
21 and lest again when I come, God make me low with you, and I bewail many of them, that before sinned, and did not penance on the uncleanness, and fornication, and unchastity, that they have done.[i]
13 Lo! this third time I come to you, and in the mouth of two or of three witnesses [and in the mouth of two or three witnesses] every word shall stand.
2 I said before, and [I] say before, as present twice, and now absent, to them that before have sinned, and to all others; for if I come again, I shall not spare.
3 Whether ye seek the proof of that Christ, that speaketh in me, which is not feeble in you, [but is mighty in you]?[j]
4 For though he was crucified of infirmity, but he liveth of the virtue of God. For also we be frail in him [For why and we be sick in him], but we shall live with him of the virtue of God in us.
5 Assay yourselves, if ye be in the faith; ye yourselves prove. Whether ye know not yourselves, for Christ Jesus is in you? but (it) happens ye be reprovable [no but peradventure, ye be reprovable].
6 But I hope, that ye know, that we be not reprovable.
7 And we pray the Lord, that ye do nothing of evil; not that we seem approved [not that we seem proved], but that ye do that that is good, and that we be as reprovable.
8 For we be able to do nothing against truth, but for the truth. [Forsooth we may do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.]
9 For we joy, when we be frail [when we be sick], but ye be mighty; and we pray this thing, your perfection.
10 Therefore I absent write these things, that I present do not harder, by the power, which the Lord gave to me into edification, and not into your destruction[k].
11 Brethren, henceforward joy ye, be ye perfect, excite ye [be ye perfect, and teach ye]; understand ye the same thing; have ye peace, and God of peace and of love shall be with you [and God of peace and love shall be with you].
12 Greet ye well together in holy kiss.
13 All holy men greet you well.
14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communing of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
2001 by Terence P. Noble