2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when with you face to face, but bold toward you when absent!

Now I Paul myself exhort you, by the meekness and lenity of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you,

2 I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think that we walk according to the flesh.

but being absent am bold towards you, yea I intreat you, that I may not be bold, when I am present, with that confidence, wherewith I think to proceed against some, who censure us as walking after the flesh.

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

For though we are in the flesh, we do not carry on our war according to the flesh:

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful in God for tearing down strongholds.

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the demolishing of bulwarks: )

5 We tear down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

destroying false reasonings, and every height that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and captivating every thought to the obedience of Christ.

6 We are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

And being prepared to avenge all disobedience, since your obedience is fulfilled.

7 Are you looking only at outward appearances? If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that just as he belongs to Christ, so we also belong to Christ.

Do ye look at things according to the outward appearance? If any one is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again of himself, that as he is Christ's, so we also are Christ's.

8 For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority (which the Lord has given us for building you up and not for tearing you down), I will not be ashamed.

For though I should boast yet more of our authority, (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction) I should not be ashamed:

9 For I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten 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 amounts to nothing.”

for his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

11 The people who say such things should realize that what we say in our letters when we are absent, we will demonstrate by our actions when we are present.

But let such a one know this, that as we are in word by letters, when absent, such also shall we be in fact when present.

12 For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves with one another and compare themselves to one another, they do not show good sense.

For we presume not to number, or compare ourselves with some who recommend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are void of understanding.

13 We, however, will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting to the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even as far as you.

But we will not glory of things beyond our bounds, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath given to us, a measure to come even unto you.

14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.

For we do not stretch ourselves beyond measure, as though we were not commissioned to come unto you; for we have reached even to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ.

15 We do not go beyond our limits by boasting in the labors of others. On the contrary, our hope is that, as your faith increases, our area of ministry among you will be greatly expanded,

Not boasting of things beyond our limits in other men's labors; but having hope that, when your faith is increased, we shall be abundantly enlarged by you according to our line,

16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without boasting about work already done in someone else's area of ministry.

to preach the gospel in places beyond you; and not to boast in another's province of things ready prepared for us.

17 But, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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

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

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