Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not!

我们岂是又举荐自己吗？岂像别人用人的荐信给你们或用你们的荐信给人吗？

难道我们又开始推荐自己吗？难道我们像某些人那样要用人的推荐信介绍给你们，或用你们的推荐信给人吗？

难道我们又开始推荐自己吗？难道我们像某些人那样要用人的推荐信介绍给你们，或用你们的推荐信给人吗？

难道我们又是在称赞自己吗？难道我们像别人一样，需要拿着推荐信去见你们，或拿着你们的推荐信去见别人吗？

难道我们又在自我推荐吗？难道我们像有些人，要拿荐信给你们，或向你们拿荐信吗？

我们又开始推荐自己吗？难道我们像有些人那样，需要给你们推荐信，或向你们要推荐信吗？

我們豈是又舉薦自己嗎？豈像別人用人的薦信給你們或用你們的薦信給人嗎？

難道我們又開始推薦自己嗎？難道我們像某些人那樣要用人的推薦信介紹給你們，或用你們的推薦信給人嗎？

難道我們又開始推薦自己嗎？難道我們像某些人那樣要用人的推薦信介紹給你們，或用你們的推薦信給人嗎？

難道我們又是在稱讚自己嗎？難道我們像別人一樣，需要拿著推薦信去見你們，或拿著你們的推薦信去見別人嗎？

難道我們又在自我推薦嗎？難道我們像有些人，要拿薦信給你們，或向你們拿薦信嗎？

我們哪是再開始推薦自己呢？難道我們還像有些人需要人的薦書給你們，或是你們的薦書給人麼？

我們又開始推薦自己嗎？難道我們像有些人那樣，需要給你們推薦信，或向你們要推薦信嗎？

我豈復自薦乎、豈如人需薦書與爾、抑取於爾乎、

吾豈復自薦乎、我豈如人、需人之薦書與爾、爾之薦書與人乎、

我豈復自薦乎、我豈如他人需人之薦書與爾、或需爾之薦書與人乎、

吾儕豈復自薦乎？抑吾儕尚須求人之薦書與爾、或爾之薦書與人、如他人之所為乎？

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Some people need letters that speak well of them. Do we need those kinds of letters, either to you or from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some[ others], epistles of commendation to you, or[ letters] of commendation from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these“ super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all.

Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed.

Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.

Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem.

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.

I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.

I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.