2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I, Paul, myself make request to you by the quiet and gentle behaviour of Christ, I who am poor in spirit when with you, but who say what is in my mind to you without fear when I am away from you:

And I, Paul, myself, call on you—through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ—who in presence [am] indeed humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

2 Yes, I make my request to you, so that when I am with you I may not have to make use of the authority which may be needed against some to whom we seem to be walking after the flesh.

and I implore [you], that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

3 For though we may be living in the flesh, we are not fighting after the way of the flesh

for walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

4 (For the arms with which we are fighting are not those of the flesh, but are strong before God for the destruction of high places);

for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

5 Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;

bringing down reasonings, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

6 Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

7 Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.

You see the outward appearance. If anyone has trusted in himself to be Christ’s, let him reckon this again from himself, that according as he is Christ’s, so also we [are] Christ’s;

8 For though I might take pride in our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for your destruction), it will not be a cause of shame to me:

for even if I will also boast anything more abundantly concerning our authority, that the LORD gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

9 That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.

that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,

10 For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

“because the letters indeed,” says one, “[are] weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.”

11 Let those who say this keep in mind that, what we are in word by letters when we are away, so will we be in act when we are present.

This one—let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, [we are] in deed.

12 For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.

For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

13 We will not give glory to ourselves in over-great measure, but after the measure of the rule which God has given us, a measure which comes even to you.

and we will not boast ourselves in regard to the unmeasured things, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure appointed to us—to reach even to you;

14 For we have no need to make ourselves seem more than we are, as if our authority did not come as far as to you: for we came even as far as you with the good news of Christ:

for we do not stretch ourselves too much, as not reaching to you, for even to you we came in the good news of the Christ,

15 Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for an increase which is the effect of our work,

not boasting of the things not measured, in other men’s labors, and having hope—your faith increasing—in you to be enlarged, according to our line—into abundance,

16 So that we may be able to go on and take the good news to countries still farther away than you are, and not take credit for another man's work in making things ready to our hand.

to proclaim good news in the [places] beyond you, not in another’s line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;

17 But whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord.

and he who is boasting—let him boast in the LORD;

18 For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his opinion of himself, but on the Lord's opinion of him.

for he who is commending himself is not approved, but he whom the LORD commends.