2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Meshikha; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you.

Now I, the same Paul, who, when present among you, am timid, but when absent, am bold toward you, entreat you, by the mildness and gentleness of Christ;

2 But I implore you that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence with which I intend on showing against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

I, indeed, beseech you, that I may not, when present, be bold with that confidence with which I think I shall be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3 For though we walk 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 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds,

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, for the overthrowing of strongholds, )

5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Meshikha;

overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

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

and being ready to take vengeance on all disobedience, when your obedience shall have been fully established.

7 Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Meshikha's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Meshikha's, so also we are Meshikha's.

Do you look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trusts in himself, that he is Christ’s, let him again reason thus of himself: that as he is Christ’s, so also are we.

8 For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

For though I should boast even, somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I would not be ashamed:

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

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

10 For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his style of speech contemptible.

11 Let such a person consider 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 one conclude thus―that such as we are in word, by letters, while absent, such also will we be in deed, when present.

12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, have no understanding.

13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

But we will not boast ourselves with respect to regions not measured to us; but according to the measure of the line which God, who measures, has appointed for us to reach even to you.

14 For we do not stretch ourselves too much, as though we did not reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Meshikha,

For we do not stretch ourselves too far, as if we did not come to you: for even as far as to you, have we already come in the gospel of the Christ,

15 not boasting excessively in the work done by others, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

not boasting ourselves in the labors of others in regions not measured off to us, but having hope that, when your faith is increased, we shall be magnified among you abundantly, according to our line,

16 so as to preach the Good News even to the regions beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

so as to preach the gospel in regions beyond you, and not to boast in regions made ready under another man’s line.

17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."

But let him that boasts, boast in the Lord:

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

for he that commends himself is not approved; but he whom the Lord commends.