2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who indeed am lowly in presence among you, but am bold toward you when absent.

Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ — I who, “in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you” —

2 But I pray not to be bold when present with the confidence by which I consider to be valiant toward some who consider us as walking according to flesh.

I implore you not to drive me to “show my boldness,” when I do come, by the confident tone which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you, who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives.

3 For though walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

For, though we live an earthly life, we do not wage an earthly war.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the demolition of strongholds,

The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.

5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought captive into the obedience of the Christ,

We are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God. We are taking captive every hostile thought, to bring it into submission to the Christ,

6 and having in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience is fulfilled.

and are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion, when once your submission is complete.

7 Do ye look at things according to appearance. If any man has convinced himself to be of Christ, let him consider this again of himself, that, as he is of Christ, so also are we of Christ.

You look at the outward appearance of things! Let any one, who is confident that he belongs to Christ, reflect, for himself, again upon the fact — that we belong to Christ no less than he does.

8 For even if I also should boast somewhat more abundantly about our authority (which the Lord gave us for building up and not for tearing you down), I will not be shamed,

Even if I boast extravagantly about our authority — which the Lord gave us for building up your faith and not for overthrowing it — still I have no reason to be ashamed.

9 so that I would not seem as if to terrify you by the letters.

I say this, that it may not seem as if I were trying to overawe you by my letters.

10 Because, The letters, he says, are indeed weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is disdained.

For people say “His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible.”

11 Let such a man think this, that such kind we are in word by letters when absent, we are also such kind when present in the work.

Let such a man be assured of this — that our words in our letters show us to be, when absent, just what our deeds will show us to be, when present.

12 For we dare not classify or compare ourselves to some of those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, do not understand.

We have not indeed the audacity to class or compare ourselves with some of those who indulge in self-commendation! But, when such persons measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they show a want of wisdom.

13 But we will not boast in things immeasurable, but according to the measure of the standard that God apportioned to us, of a measure to reach even as far as you.

We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.

14 For it is not as not reaching for you. We overextend ourselves. For we even reached as far as you in the good news of the Christ,

For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the Good News of the Christ!

15 not boasting in things immeasurable, in other men's labors, but having hope of your faith growing in you to be enlarged according to our measure for abundance,

Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labours of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased — though still confined to our sphere —

16 in order to preach the good news beyond you, not to boast in another measure, in things prepared.

So that we shall be able to tell the Good News in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done.

17 But he who boasts should boast in the Lord.

‘Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord.’

18 For he who commends himself, that man is not approved, but whom the Lord commends.

For it is not the man who commends himself that stands the test, but the man who is commended by the Lord.