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.

Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent, am bold toward you.

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.

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold, against some, who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh.

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

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

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

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,

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

And every height that exhalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ;

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

And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.

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 does.

See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ’s, let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ’s, so are we also.

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.

For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

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

But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,

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

(For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible, )

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

Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles, when absent, such also we will be indeed 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.

For we dare not match, or compare ourselves with some, that commend themselves; but we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves.

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.

But we will not glory beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto 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.

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in 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,

Not glorying beyond measure in other men’s labours; but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly;

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.

Yea, unto those places that are beyond you, to preach the gospel, not to glory in another man’s rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.

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

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

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

For not he who commendeth himself, is approved, but he, whom God commendeth.