2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence [am] base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

I, Paul, myself appeal to you, by the humility and gentleness of Christ. I am meek when I am in your presence, but I am bold toward you when I am away.

2 But I beseech [you], that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

I beg of you that, when I am present with you, I will not need to be bold with self-confidence. But I think I will need to be bold when I oppose those who assume that we are living according to the flesh.

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

For even though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; )

For the weapons we fight with are not fleshly. Instead, they have divine power to destroy strongholds. They bring to nothing misleading arguments.

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We also destroy every high thing that rises up against the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive into obedience to Christ.

6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

And we are getting ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he [is] Christ’s, even so [are] we Christ’s.

Look at what is clearly in front of you. If anyone is convinced that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

For even if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for us to build you up and not to destroy you, I will not be ashamed.

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

I do not want it to appear that I am terrifying you by my letters.

10 For [his] letters, say they, [are] weighty and powerful; but [his] bodily presence [is] weak, and [his] speech contemptible.

For some people say, “His letters are serious and powerful, but physically he is weak. His words are not worth listening to.”

11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such [will we be] also in deed when we are present.

Let such people be aware that what we are in the words of our letters when we are absent is what we will be in our actions when we are there.

12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

We do not go so far as to group ourselves or compare ourselves with those who praise themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with each other, they have no insight.

13 But we will not boast of things without [our] measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

We, however, will not boast beyond limits. Instead, we will do so only within the limits of what God has assigned to us, limits that reach as far as you.

14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond [our measure], as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in [preaching] the gospel of Christ:

For we did not overextend ourselves when we reached you. We were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel of Christ.

15 Not boasting of things without [our] measure, [that is], of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

We have not boasted beyond limits about the labors of others. Instead, we expect that as your faith continues to grow, our work among you will greatly expand.

16 To preach the gospel in the [regions] beyond you, [and] not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

We hope for this, so that we may preach the gospel even in regions beyond you. We will not boast about the work being done in another's area.

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

“But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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

For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved. Instead, it is the one whom the Lord recommends.