2 Corinthians — Chapter 10

1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.

2I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.

3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

5We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.

9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.

10For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”

11Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.

12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.

13We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.

14We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.

15Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.

17Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

2But 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.

3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

7Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

8For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

9That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

11Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

13But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

15Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

16To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

1Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:

2yea, 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.

3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh

4(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),

5casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.

7Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ`s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ`s, so also are we.

8For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame:

9that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

10For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.

11Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such [are we] also in deed when we are present.

12For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

13But we will not glory beyond [our] measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you.

14For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ:

15not glorying beyond [our] measure, [that is,] in other men`s labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto [further] abundance,

16so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, [and] not to glory in another`s province in regard of things ready to our hand.

17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

1Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!)—

2now 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.

3For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,

4for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments

5and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.

6We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.

8For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.

9I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,

10because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account.”

11Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.

12For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

13But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you.

14For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.

15Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits,

16so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area.

17But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

18For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

2Yes, 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.

3For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;

4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

5throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

7Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s.

8For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

9that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

10For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

11Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

12For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

13But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

14For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

15not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

16so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

17But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

18For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.