¹⁰ “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but ^(A)his bodily presence is weak, and his ^(B)speech contemptible.”

¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^(A)not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

¹³ You know that ^(A)because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. ¹⁴ And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me ^(B)as an ^[a]angel of God, ^(C)even as Christ Jesus.

⁶ Even though ^(A)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not ^(B)in knowledge. But ^(C)we have ^[a]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

⁵ Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not ^(A)boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶ For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a ^(B)thorn in the flesh was given to me, ^(C)a messenger of Satan to ^[a]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ^8 (D)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^(E)I will rather boast in my infirmities, ^(F)that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The Spiritual War

10 Now ^(A)I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—^(B)who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

Christ Crucified

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ^[a]testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you ^(A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^3 (B)I was with you ^(C)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching ^(D)were not with persuasive words of ^[b]human wisdom, ^(E)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

²¹ For since, in the ^(A)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

⁶ Then said I: