2 Corinthians 10

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

This is me Paul, personally appealing to you through Christ's kindness and gentleness, the one who is “shy” when I have to face you but who is “bold” when I'm not there.

2 Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

I'm pleading with you, so that the next time I'm with you I won't have to be as tough as I think I'll have to be, boldly dealing with those who think we behave in worldly ways.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;

Even though we live in this world, we don't fight as the world does.

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

Our weapons are not of this world but God's mighty power that destroys fortresses of human thinking, demolishing misleading theories.

5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Every high wall that stands tall and proud against the knowledge of God is knocked down. Every rebel idea is captured and brought into obedient agreement with Christ.

6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full.

When you are completely obeying Christ then we're ready to punish any disobedience.

7 Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s.

Look at what's staring you in the face! Anyone who considers that they belong to Christ should think again—just as they belong to Christ, so do we!

8 For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

Even though I may seem to be boasting a little too much about our authority, I'm not embarrassed about it. The Lord gave this authority to us to build you up, not to knock you down.

9 that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

I'm not trying to scare you by my letters.

10 For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

People say, “His letters are tough and severe, but in person he's feeble, and he's a useless speaker.”

11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

People like that should realize that what we say through letters when we're not there we will do when we are there!

12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

We're not so arrogant to compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. Those who measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, are really foolish!

13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

But we won't boast about ourselves in extravagant terms that can't be measured. We simply measure what we have done using God's system of measurement that he gave us—and that includes you.

14 For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

We are not over-extending our authority in saying this, as if we didn't get as far as you, for we did get to you and share with you the good news of Christ.

15 not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

We're not boasting in extravagant terms that can't be measured, claiming credit for what others have done. On the contrary, we hope that as your trust in God grows, our work among you will greatly increase.

16 so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

Then we can share the good news in places way beyond you, without boasting about what's already been done where someone else has worked.

17 But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

“If anyone wants to boast, boast about the Lord.”

18 For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

It's not those who praise themselves that are respected, but those that the Lord praises.