2 Corinthians 10

1 Now 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.

2 I 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.

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

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

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

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

7 You 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 belongs to Christ.

8 For 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.

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

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

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

12 We 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.

13 We, 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.

14 We 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.

15 Neither 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,

16 so 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.

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

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

1 ¶ Now 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:

2 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.

3 For 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;)

5 Casting 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;

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

7 ¶ Do 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.

8 For 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:

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

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

11 Let 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.

12 ¶ For 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.

13 But 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.

14 For 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:

15 Not 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,

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

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

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

1 But I Paul exhort you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who am presently lowly among you, but in absentia am foolish toward you.

2 But I beseech you, let me not be foolish at this present time, neither let me be bold, which I am called to be, against some that esteem us to walk carnally.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, yet do we not contend carnally.

4 For the weapons of our knighthood are not carnal, but mighty in the sight of God, to destroy the fortifications,

5 That we may destroy the designs and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring all understanding into captivity unto the obedience of Christ.

6 And are ready to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

7 Do ye judge according to reputation? If any man think that he is Christ's, let him think that he is Christ's; and as he is Christ's, so are we also Christ's.

8 And if I boasted a little further of our power, which the LORD hath given us to amend you, and not to destroy you, I would not be put to shame.

9 But this I say, that ye think not that I will affright you with letters.

10 For the letters (speaking, they) are heavy and strong: but the presence of the body is weak, and the speech contemptible.

11 Let him that is such think that, as we are absent by word in the epistles, so we may well be present by deed.

12 For we ought not to number or count ourselves among them that commend themselves: but because they measure themselves by themselves, and think of themselves only, they understand nothing.

13 But we glory not in the goal, but only in the goal of the rule, that God hath measured out for us the goal, to reach even unto you.

14 For we go not too far, lest we should not have come unto you: for we came unto you with the gospel of Christ.

15 And we glory not in the work of others, and have hope, when your faith is increased in you, that we may advance according to our rule.

16 And preach the gospel also unto them that dwell beyond you, not boasting in those things which are prepared with strange rule.

17 But let him that boasteth boast of the LORD.

18 For therefore is no man proficient, that he should praise himself, but that the LORD should praise him.