We are not trying to make an appeal to you again. But we are giving you a chance to take pride in us. Some people take pride in their looks rather than what’s in their hearts. If you take pride in us, you will be able to answer them.

我们不是向你们再举荐自己，乃是叫你们因我们有可夸之处，好对那凭外貌不凭内心夸口的人，有言可答。

我们不是向你们再推荐自己，而是要让你们有夸耀我们的机会，使你们好面对那凭外貌、不凭内心夸耀的人。

我们不是向你们再推荐自己，而是要让你们有夸耀我们的机会，使你们好面对那凭外貌、不凭内心夸耀的人。

我们不是称赞自己，而是让你们有机会以我们为荣，叫你们可以反驳那些只贪图外表虚荣、不注重内在实质的人。

我们不是又再向你们推荐自己，而是给你们机会以我们为乐，使你们可以应付那些只夸外貌不夸内心的人。

我们不是再次向你们推荐自己，而是给你们一个夸耀我们的机会，好让你们可以应对那些只凭外貌、不凭内心夸耀的人，

我們不是向你們再舉薦自己，乃是叫你們因我們有可誇之處，好對那憑外貌不憑內心誇口的人，有言可答。

我們不是向你們再推薦自己，而是要讓你們有誇耀我們的機會，使你們好面對那憑外貌、不憑內心誇耀的人。

我們不是向你們再推薦自己，而是要讓你們有誇耀我們的機會，使你們好面對那憑外貌、不憑內心誇耀的人。

我們不是稱讚自己，而是讓你們有機會以我們為榮，叫你們可以反駁那些只貪圖外表虛榮、不注重內在實質的人。

我們不是又再向你們推薦自己，而是給你們機會以我們為樂，使你們可以應付那些只誇外貌不誇內心的人。

我們不是再向你們推薦自己，乃是給你們有為我們誇口的機會，好使你們對那憑外貌不憑內心的人有可對付。

我們不是再次向你們推薦自己，而是給你們一個誇耀我們的機會，好讓你們可以應對那些只憑外貌、不憑內心誇耀的人，

我不復自薦、第以因我而誇之故予爾、可應對誇外貌不誇內心之人、

我豈復自薦乎、第使爾為我誇、克辨誇外貌之人、彼不誠其心、

我非復自薦與爾、惟使爾因我有可誇、可答彼憑外貌不憑內心而誇者、

吾人豈復自薦乎？亦欲使爾等於吾人之誠、有所稱道、而對於一般只重外貌、不貴內心者、知所答覆耳。

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.

We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

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.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart.

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to[ answer] them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

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?

Up to this point you have understood some of the things we have said. But now here is what I hope for when the Lord Jesus returns. I hope that your pride in us will be the same as our pride in you. When this happens, you will understand us completely.

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.That comes as no surprise. Even Satan himself pretends to be an angel of light.So it doesn’t surprise us that Satan’s servants also pretend to be serving God. They will finally get exactly what they deserve.I will say it again. Don’t let anyone think I’m a fool. But if you do, put up with me just as you would put up with a fool. Then I can do a little bragging.

Some people are worried about how things look on the outside. They are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do it for only one reason. They don’t want to suffer by being connected with the cross of Christ.Even those who are circumcised don’t obey the law. But they want you to be circumcised. Then they can brag about what has been done to your body.I never want to brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through that cross the ways of the world have been crucified as far as I am concerned. And I have been crucified as far as the ways of the world are concerned.

We can’t gain anything by bragging. But I have to do it anyway. I am going to tell you what I’ve seen. I want to talk about what the Lord has shown me.I know a believer in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven 14 years ago. I don’t know if his body was taken up or not. Only God knows.I don’t know if that man was in his body or out of it. Only God knows. But I do know thathe was taken up to paradise. He heard things there that couldn’t be put into words. They were things that no one is allowed to talk about.I will brag about a man like that. But I won’t brag about myself. I will brag only about how weak I am.Suppose I decide to brag. That would not make me a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I don’t brag, so that no one will think more of me than they should. People should judge me by what I do and say.God has shown me amazing and wonderful things. People should not think more of me because of it. So I wouldn’t become proud of myself, I was given a problem. This problem caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer.Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me.But he said to me,“ My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ’s power can rest on me.

Do I brag too much about the authority the Lord gave me? If I do, it’s because I want to build you up, not tear you down. And I’m not ashamed of that kind of bragging.

Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by standing firm in troubles, hard times and suffering.

I don’t dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves. I’m not that kind of person. They measure themselves by themselves. They compare themselves with themselves. When they do that, they are not wise.

Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth. Let an outsider praise you, and not your own lips.

I have made a fool of myself. But you made me do it. You should have praised me. Even though I am nothing, I am in no way less important than the“ super- apostles.”

Those who praise themselves are not accepted. Those the Lord praises are accepted.