| 1 | 我自誇固然無益、但我是不得已的.如今我要說到主的顯現和啟示。
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
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| 2 | 我認得一個在基督裡的人、他前十四年被提到第三層天上去.或在身內、我不知道.或在身外、我也不知道.只有 神知道。
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.
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| 3 | 我認得這人、或在身內、或在身外、我都不知道.只有 神知道。
And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--
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| 4 | 他被提到樂園裡、聽見隱秘的言語、是人不可說的。
was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
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| 5 | 為這人、我要誇口.但是為我自己、除了我的軟弱以外、我並不誇口。
I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
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| 6 | 我就是願意誇口、也不算狂.因為我必說實話.只是我禁止不說、恐怕有人把我看高了、過於他在我身上所看見所聽見的。
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
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| 7 | 又恐怕我因所得的啟示甚大、就過於自高、所以有一根剌加我肉體上、就是撒但的差役、要攻擊我、免得我過於自高。
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
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| 8 | 為這事、我三次求過主、叫這剌離開我。
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
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| 9 | 他對我說、我的恩典彀你用的.因為我的能力、是在人的軟弱上顯得完全.所以我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱、好叫基督的能力覆庇我.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
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| 10 | 我為基督的緣故、就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦、為可喜樂的.因我甚麼時候軟弱、甚麼時候就剛強了。
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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| 11 | 我成了愚妄人、是被你們強逼的.我本該被你們稱許纔是.我雖算不了甚麼、卻沒有一件事在那些最大的使徒以下。
I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.
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| 12 | 我在你們中間、用百般的忍耐、藉著神蹟奇事異能、顯出使徒的憑據來。
The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance.
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| 13 | 除了我不累著你們這一件事、你們還有甚麼事不及別的教會呢.這不公之處、求你們饒恕我罷。
How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
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| 14 | 如今我打算第三次到你們那裡去、也必不累著你門.因我所求的是你們、不是你們的財物.兒女不該為父母積財、父母該為兒女積財。
Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
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| 15 | 我也甘心樂意為你們的靈魂費財費力。難道我越發愛你們、就越發少得你們的愛麼。
So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?
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| 16 | 罷了、我自己並沒有累著你們、你們卻有人說、我是詭詐、用心計牢籠你們。
Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!
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| 17 | 我所差到你們那裡去的人、我藉著他們一個人佔過你們的便宜麼。
Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?
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| 18 | 我勸了提多到你們那裡去、又差那位兄弟與他同去.提多佔過你們的便宜麼.我們行事、不同是一個心靈麼.不同是一個腳蹤麼。〔心靈或作聖靈〕
I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?
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| 19 | 你們到如今、還想我們是向你們分訴.我們本是在基督裡當 神面前說話。親愛的弟兄阿、一切的事、都是為造就你們。
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.
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| 20 | 我怕我再來的時候、見你們不合我所想望的、你們見我也不合你們所想望的.又怕有分爭、嫉妒、惱怒、結黨、毀謗、讒言、狂傲、混亂的事.
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
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| 21 | 且怕我來的時候、我的 神叫我在你們面前慚愧.又因許多人從前犯罪、行污穢姦淫邪蕩的事、不肯悔改、我就憂愁。
I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
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