Reality of Paul’s Authority

(A)Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? (B)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 [a]so (C)we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more (D)about our authority, which the Lord gave [b]us for [c]edification and not for your destruction, (E)I shall not be ashamed— lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but (F)his bodily presence is weak, and his (G)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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 NU as we are.
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:8 NU omits us
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:8 building up

You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is convinced he himself is Christ’s, he should consider this concerning himself again: that just as Christ himself is, so also are we. For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down[a], I will not be put to shame, so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters, 10 because it is said, “His letters are severe and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is of no account.” 11 Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word by letters when we[b] are absent, we will also be in actions[c] when we[d] are present.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:8 Literally “for building up and not for tearing down of you”
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:11 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are absent”) which is understood as temporal
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:11 Literally “deed”
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:11 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are present”) which is understood as temporal