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.

NOW I Paul myself exhort you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who, when present, am indeed lowly among you, but being absent, am bold towards you.

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.

But I pray, that when I am present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I purpose to act resolutely against some who think of us, as if we walked after the flesh.

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

For though we walk in the flesh, we war not after the flesh:

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

for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the casting down the strong holds of corruption;

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,

laying low proud reasonings, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and making every thought captive to the obedience of Christ:

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

and holding ourselves ready to avenge every act of disobedience, when your obedience is fully proved.

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.

Regard ye the things that are personal? If any man is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him reflect again in himself, that as he is Christ’s, so are we Christ’s.

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,

Yea, and if I should boast somewhat more highly of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed;

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

that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

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

For his letters indeed, say they, are weighty and forcible, but his bodily presence is feeble, and his speech contemptible.

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.

Let such a man be assured of this, that such as we are by word in our letters when absent, such also will we be in deed when we are present.

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.

For we will not presume to put ourselves on the level, or compare ourselves with some who vaunt themselves; but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, have no understanding.

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 will not glory in things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath marked out for us―a measure that hath reached even unto 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,

For we stretch not our pretensions beyond bounds, as though we reached not unto you; for we have advanced even unto you in the gospel 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,

not boasting ourselves unmeasurably in other men’s labours; but having hope that when your faith is increased, we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule for more abundant usefulness,

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

to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to arrogate glory in another man’s line for things already prepared.

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

But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

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

For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth.