My defense to those who examine me is this:

我对那盘问我的人就是这样分诉：

对那些质问我的人，这就是我的答辩。

对那些质问我的人，这就是我的答辩。

对那些责难我的人，我的答复是这样：

对那些盘问我的人，这就是我的答辩。

对那些评断我的人，我的辩护是这样的：

我對那盤問我的人就是這樣分訴：

對那些質問我的人，這就是我的答辯。

對那些質問我的人，這就是我的答辯。

對那些責難我的人，我的答覆是這樣：

對那些盤問我的人，這就是我的答辯。

對那些審斷我的人呢、我的分訴是這樣說：

對那些評斷我的人，我的辯護是這樣的：

有詰我者、我以此白之、

有詰我者、我以是告之、

有詰我者、我即以此答之、

亦即吾所持以答人之質問者也。

This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.

That is what I say to stand up for myself when people judge me.

This is my defense to those who would examine me.

This is my answer to those who question my authority.

My defense to those who examine me is this:

My defense to those who examine me is this:

My defence to them that examine me is this.

My defense to those who examine me is this:

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

This is my defense to those who examine me.

My defense to those who examine me is this:

If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command.

Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

This is why I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am there I may not have to deal harshly with you, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but powerful among you.

Look at what is obvious. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, let him remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame.

Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!Did I take advantage of you by any of those I sent you?I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps?Have you been thinking all along that we were defending ourselves to you? No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.

I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.

“ Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”

the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment.

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?— unless you fail the test.

At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them.