2 Corinthians 10
1 Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ – I who, “in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you” –
Moreover, I, Paul, myself, exhort you, through the meekness and considerateness of the Christ, —I who, to look upon, indeed, am lowly toward you, but, absent, am bold towards you; —
2 I implore you not to drive me to “show my boldness,” when I do come, by the confident tone which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you, who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives.
I entreat, however, that, when present, I may not be bold with the assurance wherewith I think to be daring against some who account of us as though, according to flesh, we were walking, —
3 For, though we live an earthly life, we do not wage an earthly war.
For, though, in flesh, we walk, not, according to flesh, do we war, —
4 The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.
For, the weapons of our warfare, are not fleshly, but mighty, by God, unto a pulling down of strongholds, —
5 We are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God. We are taking captive every hostile thought, to bring it into submission to the Christ,
When we pull down, calculations, and every height that uplifteth itself against the knowledge of God, and when we bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of the Christ,
6 and are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion, when once your submission is complete.
And when we hold ourselves, in readiness, to avenge all disobedience, as soon as your obedience shall be fulfilled!
7 You look at the outward appearance of things! Let anyone, who is confident that he belongs to Christ, reflect, for himself, again on the fact – that we belong to Christ no less than he does.
The things that lie on the surface, ye are looking at: —if anyone hath come to trust in himself that he is, Christ’s, this, let him reckon, again, with himself—that, even as, he, is Christ’s, so, also are, we.
8 Even if I boast extravagantly about our authority – which the Lord gave us for building up your faith and not for overthrowing it – still I have no reason to be ashamed.
Yea, if, somewhat more abundantly, I should boast concerning our authority—which the Lord hath given for building up and not for pulling you down, I shall not be put to shame, —
9 I say this so that it doesn’t seem as if I am trying to overawe you by my letters.
That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;
10 For people say “His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible.”
Because, The letters, it is true (saith one), are weighty and strong, but, the presence of the body, is weak, and, the discourse, contemptible; —
11 Let such a person be assured of this – that our words in our letters show us to be, when absent, just what our deeds will show us to be, when present.
This, let such a one reckon—that, what we are, in our word, through means of letters, being absent, such, also, being present, are we, in our deed.
12 We have not indeed the audacity to class or compare ourselves with some of those who indulge in self-commendation! But, when such persons measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they show a want of wisdom.
For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some who do, themselves, commend; but, they, among themselves, measuring, themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without discernment!
13 We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.
We, however, not as to the things without measure, will boast ourselves, but, according to the measure of the limit which God apportioned unto us, as a measure—to reach as far as even you!
14 For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the good news of the Christ!
For, not as though we were not reaching unto you, are we over-stretching ourselves, for, as far as even you, were we beforehand in the glad-message of the Christ:
15 Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased – though still confined to our sphere –
Not, as to the things without measure, boasting ourselves in other men’s toils, but having, hope—your faith, growing—among you, to be enlarged, according to our limit for something beyond, —
16 So that we will be able to tell the good news in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done.
Unto the regions beyond you, to carry the glad-message: not, within another man’s limit, as to the things made ready, to boast ourselves.
17 Let anyone who boasts make their boast of the Lord.
He that boasteth, however, in the Lord, let him boast;
18 For it is not those who commend themselves that stand the test, but those who are commended by the Lord.
For, not he that commendeth himself, he, is approved, but he whom, the Lord, doth commend.
