⁷ Look at the plain facts! If anyone is confident that he belongs to the Messiah,^[a] he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to the Messiah,^[b] so do we. ⁸ So if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave us to build you up and not to tear you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

⁹ I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters. ¹⁰ For someone is saying,^[c] “His letters are impressive and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Someone like this should take note of the following: What we say by letter when we are absent is what we will do when present!