2 Corinthians 10

Now I, Paul, myself—who {am} meek {when} face to face among you, but being absent, am bold toward you—appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Now I am pleading that, being present, {I will} not {need} to be bold with the confidence with which I plan to be courageous against some of the ones regarding us as walking according to the flesh. \*

For {though} walking in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

For the weapons of our warfare {are} not fleshly, but {are} powerful to God for the tearing down of strongholds, tearing down strategies \*

and every high thing raising itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ;

and being in readiness to avenge every act of disobedience, when your obedience would be complete. \*

Look at the things according to appearance. If anyone is confident in himself that he is of Christ, let him consider this again concerning himself: that just as he {is} of Christ, so also {are} we.

For even if I might boast somewhat excessively about our authority, which the Lord gave for building up and not for your tearing down, I will not be ashamed, \*

so that I would not seem as if to terrify you through my letters.

For {someone} says, “Indeed, his letters {are} weighty and forceful, but his bodily presence {is} weak, and his speech is despised.” \*

Let such {a person} consider this, that such as we are in our word through letters being absent, such {we are} also in our deed being present.

For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But these—measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves—do not understand. \*

We, however, will not boast to the immeasurable things, but according to the measure of the limit that God has assigned to us, a measure that reached even as far as you.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach to you, for we came even as far as you with the gospel of Christ, \*

not boasting to the immeasurable things in the labors of others, but having hope, {as} your faith increases, to be enlarged among you according to our limit to abundance

to preach the gospel in the {places} beyond you—not to boast in the things accomplished in another’s area. \* 17 But “let the one boasting, boast in the Lord.”

For that one commending himself is not approved, but whom the Lord commends. \*