I am coming to see you. Please don’t make me be as bold as I expect to be toward some people. They think that I live the way the people of this world live.

有人以为我是凭着血气行事，我也以为必须用勇敢待这等人；求你们不要叫我在你们那里的时候，有这样的勇敢。

有人认为我们是凭着血气行事，我认为必须敢于对付这等人；我但求在那里的时候，不必这样勇敢。

有人认为我们是凭着血气行事，我认为必须敢于对付这等人；我但求在那里的时候，不必这样勇敢。

我去的时候，请不要逼我这样严厉地对待你们，我的严厉是用来对付那些说我凭血气行事的人。

求你们使我在你们那里的时候，不要满有自信地放胆对你们，我认为要以这样的自信，勇敢地对付那些以为我们是照着世俗的标准（“世俗的标准”原文作“肉体”）行事的人。

我请求，当我在你们那里的时候，我不需要大胆自信；我本来打算用这样的勇气来对付那些人——他们把我们看做是顺着肉体行事的。

有人以為我是憑着血氣行事，我也以為必須用勇敢待這等人；求你們不要叫我在你們那裏的時候，有這樣的勇敢。

有人認為我們是憑着血氣行事，我認為必須敢於對付這等人；我但求在那裏的時候，不必這樣勇敢。

有人認為我們是憑着血氣行事，我認為必須敢於對付這等人；我但求在那裏的時候，不必這樣勇敢。

我去的時候，請不要逼我這樣嚴厲地對待你們，我的嚴厲是用來對付那些說我憑血氣行事的人。

求你們使我在你們那裡的時候，不要滿有自信地放膽對你們，我認為要以這樣的自信，勇敢地對付那些以為我們是照著世俗的標準（“世俗的標準”原文作“肉體”）行事的人。

我請求，當我在你們那裡的時候，我不需要大膽自信；我本來打算用這樣的勇氣來對付那些人——他們把我們看做是順著肉體行事的。

有以我為依血氣而行者、我決意以勇待之、求爾勿使我於晤對時、以待若人者待爾、

勿使我近時儼然、蓋有謂我純以血氣行事者、我意當儼然待之、

且求爾勿使我就爾之時、亦有勇敢、蓋有人謂我乃按血氣而行者、我亦思必勇敢自信、毅然以待之、

予今求爾毋使我晤爾時、不得不勇於敢為、用懲以凡夫俗子視吾者。

I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.

I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.

Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives.

I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are living according to the flesh.

I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.

But I beseech[ you], that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that( I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.

Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

That’s why I write these things before I come to you. Then when I do come, I won’t have to be hard on you when I use my authority. The Lord gave me the authority to build you up. He didn’t give it to me to tear you down.

I already warned you during my second visit. I now say it again while I’m away. When I return, I won’t spare those who sinned earlier. I won’t spare any of the others either.

You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don’t obey God.At one time we all lived among them. Our desires were controlled by sin. We tried to satisfy what they wanted us to do. We followed our desires and thoughts. God was angry with us like he was with everyone else. That’s because of the kind of people we all were.

So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your desires controlled by sin want you to do.The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want.But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the law.The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual sins, impure acts and wild living.It includes worshiping statues of gods and worshiping evil powers. It also includes hatred and fighting, jealousy and fits of anger. Sinful desire is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups.It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like this will not receive God’s kingdom.But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithfuland gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore.Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

How were you less important than the other churches? The only difference was that I didn’t cause you any expense. Forgive me for that wrong!Now I am ready to visit you for the third time. I won’t cause you any expense. I don’t want what you have. What I really want is you. After all, children shouldn’t have to save up for their parents. Parents should save up for their children.So I will be very happy to spend everything I have for you. I will even spend myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?In any case, I haven’t caused you any expense. But I’m so tricky! I have caught you by tricking you! Or so you think!Did I take advantage of you through any of the men I sent to you?I asked Titus to go to you. And I sent our brother with him. Titus didn’t take advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?All this time, have you been thinking that I’ve been speaking up for myself? No, I’ve been speaking with God as my witness. I’ve been speaking like a believer in Christ. Dear friends, everything I do is to help you become stronger.I’m afraid that when I come I won’t find you as I want you to be. I’m afraid that you won’t find me as you want me to be. I’m afraid there will be arguing, jealousy and fits of anger. I’m afraid each of you will focus only on getting ahead. Then you will tell lies about each other. You will talk about each other. I’m afraid you will be proud and cause trouble.

Some of you have become proud. You act as if I weren’t coming to you.But I will come very soon, if that’s what the Lord wants. Then I will find out how those proud people are talking. I will also find out what power they have.The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk. It is a matter of power.Which do you want? Should I come to you to correct and punish you? Or should I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

When I was with you and needed something, I didn’t cause you any expense. The believers who came from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I haven’t caused you any expense at all. And I won’t ever do it.I’m sure that the truth of Christ is in me. And I’m just as sure that nobody in Achaia will keep me from bragging.Why? Because I don’t love you? No! God knows I do!And I will keep on doing what I’m doing. That will stop those who claim they have things to brag about. They think they have a chance to be considered equal with us.People like that are false apostles. They are workers who tell lies. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer under God’s judgment.

So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.