2 Corinthians 10

Paul Describes Himself

1Now 1I, Paul, myself 2urge you by the 3meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who 4am 5meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2I ask that 6when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against 7some, who regard us as if we walked 8according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war 9according to the flesh, 4for the 10weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but 11divinely powerful 12for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying speculations and every 13lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the 14obedience of Christ, 6and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever 15your obedience is complete.

71617You are looking at 18things as they are outwardly. 19If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, 20so also are we. 8For even if 21I boast somewhat 22further about our 23authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, 924for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his 25personal presence is 26unimpressive and 27his speech contemptible.” 11Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

12For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with 28some of those who 29commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. 13But we will not boast 30beyond our measure, but 3132within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. 14For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for 33we were the first to come even as far as you in the 34gospel of Christ; 15not boasting 35beyond our measure, that is, in 36other men’s labors, but with the hope that as 37your faith grows, we will be, 38within our sphere, 39enlarged even more by you, 16so as to 40preach the gospel even to 41the regions beyond you, and not to boast 4243in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. 17But 44he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. 18For it is not he who 45commends himself that is approved, but he 46whom the Lord commends.