Paul’s Apostolic Authority

10 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. ² I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.^{[a](A) 3} For though we live in the body,^[b] we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,^{[c] 4} since the weapons of our warfare^(B) are not worldly,^[d] but are powerful^(C) through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge^(D) of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. ⁶ And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.