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2 Corinthians 10
International Standard Version

Paul’s Authority to Speak Forcefully

10 Now I myself, Paul, plead with you with the gentleness and kindness of the Messiah[a]—I who am humble when I am face to face with you but forceful toward you when I am away! 2 I beg you that when I come I will not need to be courageous by daring to oppose some people who think that we are living according to the flesh. 3 Of course, we are living in the world,[b] but we do not wage war in a world-like[c] way. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the world.[d] Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments 5 and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey the Messiah.[e] 6 Once your obedience is complete, we will be ready to reprimand every type of disobedience.

7 Look at the plain facts! If anyone is confident that he belongs to the Messiah,[f] he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to the Messiah,[g] so do we. 8 So if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave us to build you up and not to tear you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

9 I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For someone is saying,[h] “His letters are impressive and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.” 11 Someone like this should take note of the following: What we say by letter when we are absent is what we will do when present!

Paul’s Reason for Boasting

12 We would not dare put ourselves in the same class with, or compare ourselves to, those who recommend themselves. Whenever they measure themselves by their own standards or compare themselves among themselves, they show how foolish they are. 13 We will not boast about what cannot be evaluated. Instead, we will stay within the field that God assigned us, so as to reach even you. 14 For it is not as though we were overstepping our limits when we came to you. We were the first to reach you with the gospel of the Messiah.[i] 15 We are not boasting about work done by others that cannot be evaluated. On the contrary, we cherish the hope that your faith may continue to grow and enlarge our sphere of action among you until it overflows. 16 Then we can preach the gospel in the regions far beyond you without boasting about things already accomplished by someone else.

17 “The person who boasts should boast in the Lord.”[j] 18 It is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person whom the Lord commends.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:1 Or Christ
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:3 Lit. flesh
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:3 Lit. fleshly
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:4 Lit. flesh
  5. 2 Corinthians 10:5 Or Christ
  6. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Christ
  7. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Christ
  8. 2 Corinthians 10:10 The Gk. lacks For someone is saying
  9. 2 Corinthians 10:14 Or Christ
  10. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer 9:24; MT source citation reads Lord
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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

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:5 Or, reasonings. Rom. 2:15
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or, Do ye look . . . face?
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:12 Greek to judge ourselves among, or to judge ourselves with.
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:13 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
  5. 2 Corinthians 10:14 Or, were the first to come;
  6. 2 Corinthians 10:14 Greek good tidings. See marginal note on 2:12.
  7. 2 Corinthians 10:15 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
  8. 2 Corinthians 10:16 Greek bring good tidings. Compare Mt. 11:5.
  9. 2 Corinthians 10:16 Or, limit. Greek measuring-rod.
  10. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24.
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2 Corinthians 9
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