⁷ Look at what is obvious.^[a] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,^(A) he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. ⁸ For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up^(B) and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. ⁹ I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. ¹⁰ For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” ¹¹ Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.