2 Corinthians 10

1 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.

Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the humble-heartedness and selflessness of Christ - Paul who "in your presence is humble, but bold enough when he is absent" -

2 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.

I beseech you, and I say, do not make me show my boldness, when I come in the boldness with which I think I shall show my courage against some who think that I am walking on the low level of the flesh.

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

Though I do walk on the low level of the flesh, I do not make war as the flesh does;

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

for the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but mighty for God, in pulling down all fortresses.

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

For I pull down imaginations and every crag that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. And I carry every thought away into captivity and subjection to Christ;

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

and I am fully prepared to punish every act of disobedience, when once your submission has been put beyond question.

7 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.

Look these facts in the face. If any man is fully persuaded as regards himself that he belongs to Christ, let him consider again with himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also am I.

8 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.

If, however, I were to boast more loudly concerning the authority which the Lord gave me (not to cast you down, but to build you up), I should have no cause for shame.

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

Let it not seem as if I were overawing you with my letters.

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

"His letters indeed," says one, "are mighty and forcible, but his personality is weak, and his speech contemptible."

11 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.

Let such a man assure himself that my actions, when I am present, will be just like my words in my letters when I am absent.

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

I have not indeed the audacity to class myself among, or compare myself with, certain of the self-commenders; yet they are not wise in measuring themselves by one another and in comparing themselves with one another.

13 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.

I, however, will not indulge in undue boasting, but will confine it within the limits of the sphere to which God has assigned me - a sphere which reaches even to you.

14 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.

For I am not overstepping the limits of my authority, as though I reached you not; since I have already come even as far as Corinth to proclaim the gospel of Christ.

15 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;

I am not "boasting beyond measure in the labors of others," but it is my hope that, as your faith goes on increasing among yourselves, by the enlargement of my appointed limits,

16 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.

I may carry the gospel to countries beyond you; and not be boasting of work made ready to my hand within another man’s limit.

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

Meanwhile. Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.

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

For a man is proved worthy, not by his self-commendation, but when he is commended by the Lord.