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2 Corinthians 10-13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you but bold toward you when I am away!(A)— 2 I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are acting according to human standards.[a](B) 3 Indeed, we live as humans[b] but do not wage war according to human standards,[c] 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human,[d] but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments(C) 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.(D) 6 We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.(E)

7 Look[e] at what is before your eyes. If you are confident that you belong to Christ, remind yourself of this, that just as you belong to Christ, so also do we.(F) 8 Now, even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.(G) 9 I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For someone says,[f] “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.”(H) 11 Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent we will also do when present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they do not show good sense.(I) 13 We, however, will not boast beyond limits but will keep within the field that God has assigned to us, to reach out even as far as you. 14 For we were not overstepping our limits when we reached you; we were the first to come all the way to you with the good news[g] of Christ.(J) 15 We do not boast beyond limits, that is, in the labors of others, but our hope is that, as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may proclaim the good news[h] in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in someone else’s field. 17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”(K) 18 For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved but those whom the Lord commends.(L)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I wish you would put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, do put up[i] with me!(M) 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.(N) 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure[j] devotion to Christ.(O) 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.(P) 5 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.(Q) 6 Even if I am untrained in speech, I certainly am not with respect to knowledge; certainly in every way and in all things we have made this evident to you.(R)

7 Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God’s good news[k] to you free of charge?(S) 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for my needs were supplied by the brothers who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will continue to refrain from burdening you in any way.(T) 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.(U) 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!(V)

12 And what I do I will also continue to do, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want an opportunity to be recognized as our equals in what they boast about. 13 For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.(W) 14 And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.(X)

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle

16 I repeat, let no one think that I am a fool, but if you do, then accept me as a fool, so that I, too, may boast a little. 17 What I am saying in regard to this boastful undertaking, I am saying not with the Lord’s authority but as a fool;(Y) 18 since many boast according to human standards,[l] I will also boast. 19 For you gladly put up with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you put up with it when someone makes slaves of you or preys upon you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or gives you a slap in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.(Z) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.(AA) 23 Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death.(AB) 24 Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.(AC) 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea;(AD) 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters;(AE) 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food,[m] cold and naked.(AF) 28 And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?(AG)

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.(AH) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus (blessed be he forever!) knows that I do not lie.(AI) 32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to[n] seize me,(AJ) 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall[o] and escaped from his hands.

Paul’s Visions and Revelations

12 It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.(AK) 3 And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. 5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,(AL) 7 even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep[p] me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.[q] 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,(AM) 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power[r] is made perfect in weakness.” So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.(AN) 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.(AO)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Church

11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it. Indeed you should have been the ones commending me, for I am not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.(AP) 12 The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works.(AQ) 13 How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!(AR)

14 Here I am, ready to come to you this third time, and I will not be a burden because I do not want what is yours but you, for children ought not to save up for their parents but parents for their children.(AS) 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?(AT) 16 Be that as it may, I did not burden you. But, crafty person that I am, did I take you in by deceit? 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same footsteps?(AU)

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up.(AV) 20 For I fear that when I come I may find you not as I wish and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may perhaps be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.(AW) 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery that they have practiced.(AX)

Further Warning

13 This is the third time I am coming to you. “Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”(AY) 2 I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not be lenient— 3 since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is powerful in you.(AZ) 4 For he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him,[s] but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.(BA)

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!(BB) 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. 9 For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may be restored.(BC) 10 So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.(BD)

Final Greetings and Benediction

11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell.[t] Be restored; listen to my appeal;[u] agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.(BE) 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.(BF)

13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of[v] the Holy Spirit be with all of you.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. 10.2 Gk according to the flesh
  2. 10.3 Gk in the flesh
  3. 10.3 Gk according to the flesh
  4. 10.4 Gk fleshly
  5. 10.7 Or You look
  6. 10.10 Other ancient authorities read they say
  7. 10.14 Or the gospel
  8. 10.16 Or the gospel
  9. 11.1 Or But indeed you do put up
  10. 11.3 Other ancient authorities lack and pure
  11. 11.7 Gk the gospel of God
  12. 11.18 Gk according to the flesh
  13. 11.27 Gk with frequent fasting
  14. 11.32 Other ancient authorities read and wanted to
  15. 11.33 Gk through the wall
  16. 12.7 Other ancient authorities read To keep
  17. 12.7 Other ancient authorities lack to keep me from being too elated
  18. 12.9 Other ancient authorities read my power
  19. 13.4 Other ancient authorities read with him
  20. 13.11 Or rejoice
  21. 13.11 Or encourage one another
  22. 13.13 Or and the sharing in
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2 Corinthians 10-13
New International Version

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.(D) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(E) 4 The weapons we fight with(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(G) to demolish strongholds.(H) 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(J) to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(K)

7 You are judging by appearances.[a](L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(N) 8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(P) I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(R) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(S) 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,(T) 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(U) with the gospel of Christ.(V) 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits(W) by boasting of work done by others.(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel(Z) in the regions beyond you.(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b](AB) 18 For it is not the one who commends himself(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(AD)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with(AE) me in a little foolishness.(AF) Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,(AG) to Christ, so that I might present you(AH) as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(AI) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,(AJ) or if you receive a different spirit(AK) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel(AL) from the one you accepted, you put up with it(AM) easily enough.

5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[c](AN) 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(AO) but I do have knowledge.(AP) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin(AQ) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(AR) to you free of charge?(AS) 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(AT) so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.(AU) I have kept myself from being a burden to you(AV) in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,(AW) nobody in the regions of Achaia(AX) will stop this boasting(AY) of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(AZ) I do!(BA)

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(BB) deceitful(BC) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(BD) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(BE) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(BF)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(BG) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,(BH) but as a fool.(BI) 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does,(BJ) I too will boast.(BK) 19 You gladly put up with(BL) fools since you are so wise!(BM) 20 In fact, you even put up with(BN) anyone who enslaves you(BO) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(BP) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(BQ) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(BR) Are they Israelites? So am I.(BS) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(BT) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(BU) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(BV) been in prison more frequently,(BW) been flogged more severely,(BX) and been exposed to death again and again.(BY) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(BZ) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(CA) once I was pelted with stones,(CB) three times I was shipwrecked,(CC) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,(CD) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(CE) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(CF) 27 I have labored and toiled(CG) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(CH) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(CI) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(CJ) Who is led into sin,(CK) and I do not inwardly burn?

30 If I must boast, I will boast(CL) of the things that show my weakness.(CM) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(CN) knows(CO) that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.(CP) 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.(CQ)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.(CR) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations(CS) from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ(CT) who fourteen years ago was caught up(CU) to the third heaven.(CV) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.(CW) 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up(CX) to paradise(CY) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.(CZ) 6 Even if I should choose to boast,(DA) I would not be a fool,(DB) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(DC) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(DD) a messenger of Satan,(DE) to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(DF) 9 But he said to me, “My grace(DG) is sufficient for you, for my power(DH) is made perfect in weakness.(DI)”(DJ) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(DK) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(DL) in persecutions,(DM) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(DN)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11 I have made a fool of myself,(DO) 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,”[d](DP) even though I am nothing.(DQ) 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.(DR) 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?(DS) Forgive me this wrong!(DT)

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,(DU) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,(DV) but parents for their children.(DW) 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.(DX) If I love you more,(DY) will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.(DZ) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged(EA) Titus(EB) to go to you and I sent our brother(EC) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God(ED) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,(EE) is for your strengthening.(EF) 20 For I am afraid that when I come(EG) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.(EH) I fear that there may be discord,(EI) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,(EJ) slander,(EK) gossip,(EL) arrogance(EM) and disorder.(EN) 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved(EO) over many who have sinned earlier(EP) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery(EQ) in which they have indulged.

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.(ER) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”[e](ES) 2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:(ET) On my return I will not spare(EU) those who sinned earlier(EV) or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.(EW) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,(EX) yet he lives by God’s power.(EY) Likewise, we are weak(EZ) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him(FA) in our dealing with you.

5 Examine yourselves(FB) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(FC) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(FD)—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak(FE) but you are strong;(FF) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.(FG) 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(FH) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(FI)

Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers and sisters,(FJ) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.(FK) And the God of love(FL) and peace(FM) will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(FN) 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.(FO)

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,(FP) and the love of God,(FQ) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit(FR) be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles
  4. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or the most eminent apostles
  5. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deut. 19:15
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