2 Corinthians 10
King James Version
10 Now I Paul myself beseech 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 beseech 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 war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye 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 more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 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 of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 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 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 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 that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
2 Corinthians 10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Apostolic Authority
10 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. 2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.[a](A) 3 For though we live in the body,[b] we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,[c] 4 since the weapons of our warfare(B) are not worldly,[d] but are powerful(C) through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge(D) of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. 6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.
7 Look at what is obvious.[e] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,(E) he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. 8 For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up(F) and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. 9 I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. 10 For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” 11 Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.
12 For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend(G) themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,(H) they lack understanding.(I) 13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned(J) to us, which reaches even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope(K) that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you,(L) not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.(M) 17 So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(N)[f] 18 For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.(O)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 10:2 Or are living as a non-Christian; lit are walking according to flesh
- 2 Corinthians 10:3 Lit flesh
- 2 Corinthians 10:3 Lit war according to flesh
- 2 Corinthians 10:4 Lit fleshly
- 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or You are looking at things outwardly
- 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jr 9:24
2 Corinthians 10
American Standard Version
10 Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: 2 yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds); 5 casting down [a]imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. 7 [b]Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also are we. 8 For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. 11 Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12 For we are not bold [c]to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. 13 But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the [d]province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we [e]came even as far as unto you in the [f]gospel of Christ: 15 not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our [g]province unto further abundance, 16 so as to [h]preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s [i]province in regard of things ready to our hand. 17 [j]But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 Or, reasonings. Rom. 2:15
- 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or, Do ye look . . . face?
- 2 Corinthians 10:12 Greek to judge ourselves among, or to judge ourselves with.
- 2 Corinthians 10:13 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
- 2 Corinthians 10:14 Or, were the first to come;
- 2 Corinthians 10:14 Greek good tidings. See marginal note on 2:12.
- 2 Corinthians 10:15 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
- 2 Corinthians 10:16 Greek bring good tidings. Compare Mt. 11:5.
- 2 Corinthians 10:16 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
- 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24.
2 Corinthians 10
Young's Literal Translation
10 And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you -- through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ -- who in presence, indeed [am] humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,
2 and I beseech [you], that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;
3 for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,
4 for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,
5 reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,
6 and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.
7 The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ's, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ's, so also we [are] Christ's;
8 for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;
9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,
10 `because the letters indeed -- saith one -- [are] weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.'
11 This one -- let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, [we are] in deed.
12 For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,
13 and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us -- to reach even unto you;
14 for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,
15 not boasting of the things not measured, in other men's labours, and having hope -- your faith increasing -- in you to be enlarged, according to our line -- into abundance,
16 in the [places] beyond you to proclaim good news, not in another's line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;
17 and he who is boasting -- in the Lord let him boast;
18 for not he who is commending himself is approved, but he whom the Lord doth commend.
2 Corinthians 10
Revised Standard Version
Paul Defends His Ministry
10 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away!— 2 I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of acting in worldly fashion. 3 For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
7 Look at what is before your eyes. If any one is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that as he is Christ’s, so are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame. 9 I would not seem to be frightening you with letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” 11 Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we venture to class 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 are without understanding.
13 But we will not boast beyond limit, but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, to reach even to 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. 15 We do not boast beyond limit, in other men’s labors; but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s field. 17 “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord.” 18 For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, but the man whom the Lord commends.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.