¹³ As for us, however, our boasting will not go beyond certain limits; it will stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us, and this includes our work among you. ¹⁴ And since you are within those limits, we were not going beyond them when we came to you, bringing the Good News about Christ. ¹⁵ So we do not boast about the work that others have done beyond the limits God set for us. Instead, we hope that your faith may grow and that we may be able to do a much greater work among you, always within the limits that God has set. ¹⁶ Then we can preach the Good News in other countries beyond you and shall not have to boast about work already done in someone else's field.

^17 (A)But as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast about what the Lord has done.”

⁵ So I will boast about this man—but I will not boast about myself, except the things that show how weak I am.

⁹ But his answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.