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. ² But I beg you ^(C)that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think 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 (D)For the weapons ^(E)of our warfare are not ^[a]carnal but ^(F)mighty in God ^(G)for pulling down strongholds, ^5 (H)casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ^6 (I)and being ready to punish all disobedience when ^(J)your obedience is fulfilled.

Reality of Paul’s Authority

^7 (K)Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? ^(L)If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even ^[b]so ^(M)we are Christ’s. ⁸ For even if I should boast somewhat more ^(N)about our authority, which the Lord gave ^[c]us for ^[d]edification and not for your destruction, ^(O)I shall not be ashamed— ⁹ lest I seem to terrify you by letters. ¹⁰ “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but ^(P)his bodily presence is weak, and his ^(Q)speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.