I know what it’s like not to have what I need. I also know what it’s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough.

我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处丰富；或饱足，或饥饿；或有余，或缺乏，随事随在，我都得了秘诀。

我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处丰富；或饱足或饥饿，或有余或缺乏，任何事情，任何景况，我都得了秘诀。

我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处丰富；或饱足或饥饿，或有余或缺乏，任何事情，任何景况，我都得了秘诀。

我知道如何过贫穷的日子，也知道如何过富足的日子。我学到了秘诀，不论饱足或饥饿，丰裕或缺乏，在任何情况下都可以处之泰然。

我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处富裕；我已经得了秘诀，无论在任何情况之下，或是饱足，或是饥饿，或是富裕，或是缺乏，都可以知足。

我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处丰富；在一切事上，在一切情况下，或饱足、或饥饿，或丰富、或缺乏，我都得了秘诀。

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富；或飽足，或飢餓；或有餘，或缺乏，隨事隨在，我都得了秘訣。

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富；或飽足或飢餓，或有餘或缺乏，任何事情，任何景況，我都得了祕訣。

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富；或飽足或飢餓，或有餘或缺乏，任何事情，任何景況，我都得了祕訣。

我知道如何過貧窮的日子，也知道如何過富足的日子。我學到了秘訣，不論飽足或饑餓，豐裕或缺乏，在任何情況下都可以處之泰然。

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處富裕；我已經得了祕訣，無論在任何情況之下，或是飽足，或是飢餓，或是富裕，或是缺乏，都可以知足。

我也曉得處卑賤，也曉得處富餘：在各事上、無論如何、我都得了祕訣：可以飽足，也可以饑餓；可以富餘，也可以缺乏。

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富；在一切事上，在一切情況下，或飽足、或飢餓，或豐富、或缺乏，我都得了祕訣。

我知所以處貧賤、亦知所以處富厚、隨在隨事、或飽或飢、或豐或歉、我悉諳練之矣、

我知所以處貧賤、亦知所以處富厚、隨事隨在、諳練久矣、可飽可饑、可豐可歉、

我知何以處貧賤、何以處富厚、隨事隨在、或飽或饑、或豐或歉、我皆諳練矣、

窮約之味、予固知之；寬裕之味、予亦知之；一切境遇、予已窺其堂奧、測其深淺、外物何有於我哉。故溫飽可也、凍餓亦可也；有餘可也、不足亦未始不可也。

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content— whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.

I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content— whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.

I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.

Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. You will find rest for your souls.

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.Because of how I suffered for Christ, I’m glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.

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.

Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by standing firm in troubles, hard times and suffering.We don’t give up when we are beaten or put in prison. When people stir up trouble in the streets, we continue to serve God. We work hard for him. We go without sleep and food.We remain pure. We understand completely what it means to serve God. We are patient and kind. We serve him in the power of the Holy Spirit. We serve him with true love.We speak the truth. We serve in the power of God. We hold the weapons of godliness in the right hand and in the left.We serve God in times of glory and shame. We serve him whether the news about us is bad or good. We are true to our calling. But people treat us as if we were pretenders.We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed.We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything.

After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’

Christ is humble and free of pride. Because of this, I make my appeal to you. I, Paul, am the one you call“ shy” when I am face to face with you. But when I am away from you, you think I am“ bold” toward you.

It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of a parade. We are like people sentenced to die in front of a crowd. We have been made a show for the whole creation to see. Angels and people are staring at us.We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on!Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes.We work hard with our own hands. When others curse us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it.When others say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. We have become the world’s garbage. We are everybody’s trash, right up to this moment.

The Lord found Israel in a desert. He found them in an empty and windy land. He took care of them and kept them safe. He guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.

The Lord speaks to me while his powerful hand is on me. He is warning me not to live the way these people live. He says,

Some say,“ His letters sound important. They are powerful. But in person he doesn’t seem like much. And what he says doesn’t amount to anything.”

I preached God’s good news to you free of charge. When I did that, I was putting myself down in order to lift you up. Was this a sin?

You gave them your good Spirit to teach them. You didn’t hold back your manna from their mouths. And you gave them water when they were thirsty.

He said to them,“ Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. He brings new treasures out of his storeroom as well as old ones.”

But that is not the way of life in Christ that you learned about.You heard about Christ and were taught about life in him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus.