2 Corinthians 10

1 Now 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:

Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ – I who, “in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you” –

2 yea, 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.

I implore you not to drive me to “show my boldness,” when I do come, by the confident tone which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you, who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives.

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

For, though we live an earthly life, we do not wage an earthly war.

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

The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.

5 casting 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;

We are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God. We are taking captive every hostile thought, to bring it into submission to the Christ,

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

and are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion, when once your submission is complete.

7 Ye 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.

You look at the outward appearance of things! Let anyone, who is confident that he belongs to Christ, reflect, for himself, again on the fact – that we belong to Christ no less than he does.

8 For 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:

Even if I boast extravagantly about our authority – which the Lord gave us for building up your faith and not for overthrowing it – still I have no reason to be ashamed.

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

I say this so that it doesn’t seem as if I am trying to overawe you by my letters.

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

For people say “His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible.”

11 Let 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.

Let such a person be assured of this – that our words in our letters show us to be, when absent, just what our deeds will show us to be, when present.

12 For 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.

We have not indeed the audacity to class or compare ourselves with some of those who indulge in self-commendation! But, when such persons measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they show a want of wisdom.

13 But 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.

We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.

14 For 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:

For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the good news of the Christ!

15 not 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,

Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased – though still confined to our sphere –

16 so 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.

So that we will be able to tell the good news in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done.

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

Let anyone who boasts make their boast of the Lord.

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

For it is not those who commend themselves that stand the test, but those who are commended by the Lord.