2 Corinthians 10

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

Now I Paul myself plead to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

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.

But I plead to you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which 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 after 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 to the pulling down of strong holds; )

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 Messiah;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

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

And being alert to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

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

Do all of you look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

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 somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should 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, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech (logos) 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 an one think this, that, such as we are in word (logos) by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are 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 dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

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 of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto 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 Messiah,

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of 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 of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

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

To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

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

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

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

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