New Testament in a Year

Paul’s Self-Defense^[a]

Chapter 10

Recommendation from Human Beings or from God?^{[b] 1} I myself, Paul, exhort you by the gentleness and the mercy of Christ, I who am “timid” when I am face to face with you, but “bold” when I am at a distance! ² I beg you that when I am in your presence I will not have to act with boldness and the self-assurance that I consider necessary when I oppose some of those who accuse us of acting according to human standards.^[c]

^3 [d]Although we are human beings, we do not engage in battle according to human standards. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they possess the divine power to destroy strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every proud pretension against the knowledge of God, and we compel every thought to surrender in obedience to Christ. ⁶ What is more, once your obedience is complete, we are prepared to punish every disobedience.

^7 [e]Face the facts squarely. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on the fact that we belong to Christ as much as he does. ⁸ It is possible that I tend to boast a bit too much about our authority, which the Lord has entrusted to us for building you up rather than for tearing you down, but I will not apologize for doing so.

⁹ Therefore, I do not want to seem to be someone who frightens you with my letters. ¹⁰ Some may assert, “His letters are impressive and forceful, but his personal appearance is insignificant, and he cannot speak well.” ¹¹ Let them understand that what we are in our letters when we are absent will be the same as what we are in our deeds when we are present.

¹² We do not dare to rank ourselves or to compare ourselves with any of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they only demonstrate their ignorance. ¹³ In contrast, we will not boast beyond the proper limits. Rather, we will measure ourselves according to the standard that God laid down for us, which enabled us to reach out all the way to you.

¹⁴ We are not overreaching ourselves as we would be if we had not come to you; indeed, we came to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ Neither are we boasting immoderately of the labors of others. Our hope is rather that, as your faith increases, our influence among you will be greater than ever, ¹⁶ so that we may preach the gospel to regions beyond you, rather than boasting about work already done in someone else’s region.

¹⁷ If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord.^{[f] 18} For it is not the one who commends himself who is really approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.