2 Corinthians 10
New American Standard Bible
Paul Confronts the Corinthians
10 Now (A)I, Paul, myself (B)urge you by the (C)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who (D)am [a]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that (E)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against (F)some, who regard us as if we walked (G)according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle (H)according to the flesh, 4 for the (I)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but [b]divinely powerful (J)for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying arguments and all (K)arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the (L)obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever (M)your obedience is complete.
7 [c](N)You are looking at [d]things as they are outwardly. (O)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, have him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, (P)so too are we. 8 For if (Q)I boast somewhat [e]more about our (R)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, 9 [f]for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his [g]personal presence is (S)unimpressive and (T)his speech contemptible.” 11 Have such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.
12 For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with [h]some of those who (U)commend themselves; but when they [i]measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. 13 But we will not boast (V)beyond our measure, but [j](W)within the measure of the [k]domain which God assigned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for (X)we were the first to come even as far as you in the (Y)gospel of Christ; 15 not boasting (Z)beyond our measure, that is, in (AA)other people’s labors, but with the hope that as (AB)your faith grows, we will be, [l]within our [m]domain, (AC)enlarged even more by you, 16 so as to (AD)preach the gospel even to (AE)the regions beyond you, and not to boast [n](AF)in what has been accomplished in the domain of another. 17 But (AG)the one who boasts is to boast in the Lord. 18 For it is not the one who (AH)commends himself that is approved, but the one (AI)whom the Lord commends.
Notas al pie
- 2 Corinthians 10:1 Lit lowly
- 2 Corinthians 10:4 Or mighty before God
- 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at... or Do you look at...?
- 2 Corinthians 10:7 Lit what is before your face
- 2 Corinthians 10:8 Or more abundantly
- 2 Corinthians 10:9 Lit so that I may not seem
- 2 Corinthians 10:10 Lit bodily presence is weak
- 2 Corinthians 10:12 Or any
- 2 Corinthians 10:12 I.e., evaluate
- 2 Corinthians 10:13 Lit according to the measure
- 2 Corinthians 10:13 Or assignment; lit standard
- 2 Corinthians 10:15 Lit according to our
- 2 Corinthians 10:15 See note 2 v 13
- 2 Corinthians 10:16 Lit to the things prepared in the
2 Corinthians 10
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)
2 Corinthians 10
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
10 Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly 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 am thought to be bold, against some, who reckon 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 carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,
5 And every height that exhalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.
7 See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ's, let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ's, so are we also.
8 For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.
9 But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
10 (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible,)
11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles, when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.
12 For we dare not match, or compare ourselves with some, that commend themselves; but we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves.
13 But we will not glory beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the gospel of Christ.
15 Not glorying beyond measure in other men's labours; but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly;
16 Yea, unto those places that are beyond you, to preach the gospel, not to glory in another man's rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he who commendeth himself, is approved, but he, whom God commendeth.
2 Corinthians 10
The Message
Tearing Down Barriers
10 1-2 And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words.
3-6 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
7-8 You stare and stare at the obvious, but you can’t see the forest for the trees. If you’re looking for a clear example of someone on Christ’s side, why do you so quickly cut me out? Believe me, I am quite sure of my standing with Christ. You may think I overstate the authority he gave me, but I’m not backing off. Every bit of my commitment is for the purpose of building you up, after all, not tearing you down.
9-11 And what’s this talk about me bullying you with my letters? “His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he’s a weakling and mumbles when he talks.” Such talk won’t survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We’re the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.
12 We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
13-14 We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?
15-18 We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it. “If you want to claim credit, claim it for God.” What you say about yourself means nothing in God’s work. It’s what God says about you that makes the difference.
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