¹⁰ But by the grace^(A) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me^(B) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them^(C)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^(D)

¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.^(A)

⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(A) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^(B)

¹³ for it is God who works in you^(A) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(B)

⁷ I became a servant of this gospel^(A) by the gift of God’s grace given me^(B) through the working of his power.^{(C) 8} Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,^(D) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles^(E) the boundless riches of Christ,^(F)

⁸ For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle^(A) to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle^(B) to the Gentiles.

⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,^(A) expressed in his kindness^(B) to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace^(C) you have been saved,^(D) through faith^(E)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.^(A) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,^(B) a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴ We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you^(C) with the gospel of Christ.^{(D) 15} Neither do we go beyond our limits^(E) by boasting of work done by others.^(F) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,^(G) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶ so that we can preach the gospel^(H) in the regions beyond you.^(I) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](B) even though I am nothing.^(C)