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2 KORINTIËRS 10

Paulus se volmag berus op die Goeie Nuus

1 Ek, Paulus, vra julle baie ernstig op grond van die nederigheid en toegeeflikheid van Christus - ek, wat mos, soos gesê word, "gedwee" is teenoor julle as ek bý julle is, maar "manhaftig" wanneer ek van julle af weg is.2 Ek vra julle mooi, moenie my verplig om, wanneer ek kom, my voorneme uit te voer om dié wat ons daarvan beskuldig dat ons volgens menslike oorwegings optree, met mening aan te vat nie.3 Ons leef wel in 'n menslike liggaam, maar ons voer die stryd nie met menslike middele nie.4 Die wapens van ons stryd is nie mensgemaak nie, maar die kragtige gevegstoerusting van God wat vestings kan vernietig. Daarmee vernietig ons die argumente,5 asook elke skans wat teen die kennis van God opgerig word. Ons neem ook elke gedagte gevange om dit aan Christus gehoorsaam te maak.

6 Ons is ook oorgehaal om met elke ongehoorsaamheid af te reken, sodra julle eie gehoorsaamheid in plek geval het.
7 Julle kyk bloot na die uiterlike. As julle so oortuig is dat julle aan Christus behoort, moet julle dit weer vir julleself uitmaak dat, net soos júlle aan Christus behoort, só ook ons.8 As ek moontlik oordrewe trots voorgekom het op die volmag wat die Here aan my gegee het, sal ek my nie daarvoor skaam nie. Dit was om julle op te bou, en nie om julle af te breek nie.

9 Ek wil beslis nie die indruk skep dat ek julle met my briewe probeer intimideer nie.
10 Hulle sê mos: "Paulus se briewe is gewigtig en kragtig, maar as hy persoonlik teenwoordig is, is hy maar onindrukwekkend en het sy boodskap maar min om die lyf."

11 Hulle wat dit kwytraak, moet besef dat daar geen verskil is tussen wat ons in ons afwesigheid in die briewe skryf en wat ons doen as ons by julle teenwoordig is nie.
12 Ons waag dit nie om ons in te deel of te vergelyk met "sekere mense" wat hulleself aanbeveel nie. Hulle het regtig nie insig nie; hulle meet hulleself aan hulle eie maatstaf en vergelyk hulleself net onder mekaar.13 Wat ons betref, ons sal nie buite perke trots wees nie. Ons bly binne die perk van die grense wat God vir ons uitgemeet het. Dié begrensing sluit julle óók in.

14 Ons het dus nie ons perke oorskry deur tot by julle te kom nie. Ons het tog heel eerste tot by julle gekom met die Goeie Nuus van Christus.
15 Ons is nie buite perke trots nie, dit wil sê, ons spog nie oor ander mense se optredes nie. Ons hoop dat julle geloof sal toeneem en dat ons werkterrein onder julle nog groter sal word.16 Dan sal ons die Goeie Nuus ook in gebiede kan preek wat anderkant julle geleë is, sonder om te roem op werk wat gedoen is in die werkkring van iemand anders.17 Die Skrif sê mos: "As jy jou wil beroem, moet jy jou op die Here beroem."

18 Die eintlike toets lê nie daarin of 'n mens jouself aanbeveel nie, maar of die Here jou aanbeveel.

2 CORINTHIANS 10

Paul Defends His Work //for Christ

1 Do you think I am a coward when I am with you and brave when I am far away? Well, I ask you to listen, because Christ himself was humble and gentle. 2 Some people have said we act like the people of this world. So when I arrive, I expect I will have to be firm and forceful in what I say to them. Please don't make me treat you that way. 3 We live in this world, but we don't act like its people 4 or fight our battles with the weapons of this world. Instead, we use God's power that can destroy fortresses. We destroy arguments 5 and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ.

6 And when you completely obey him, we will punish anyone who refuses to obey.
7 You judge by appearances.t If any of you think you are the only ones who belong to Christ, then think again. We belong to Christ as much as you do. 8 Maybe I brag a little too much about the authority that the Lord gave me to help you and not to hurt you. Yet I am not embarrassed to brag. 9 And I am not trying to scare you with my letters. 10 Some of you are saying, “Paul's letters are harsh and powerful. But in person, he is a weakling and has nothing worth saying.”

11 Those people had better understand that when I am with you, I will do exactly what I say in my letters.
12 We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. 13 We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work.

14 We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.
15 We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you.t That has always been our goal. 16 Then we will be able to preach the good news in other lands where we cannot take credit for work someone else has already done. 17 t The Scriptures say, “If you want to brag, then brag about the Lord.” 18 You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval.