The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

Nowe I Paul my selfe beseech you by the meekenes, and gentlenes of Christ, which when I am present among you am base, but am bolde toward you being absent:

And this I require you, that I neede not to be bolde when I am present, with that same confidence, wherewith I thinke to bee bolde against some, which esteeme vs as though wee walked according to the flesh.

Neuerthelesse, though wee walke in the flesh, yet we doe not warre after the flesh.

(For the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall, but mightie through God, to cast downe holdes)

Casting downe the imaginations, and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ,

And hauing ready the vengeance against all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Looke yee on things after the appearance? If any man trust in himselfe that hee is Christes, let him consider this againe of himself, that as he is Christes, euen so are we Christes.

For though I shoulde boast somewhat more of our authoritie, which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification, and not for your destruction, I should haue no shame.

This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.

For the letters, sayeth hee, are sore and strong, but his bodily presence is weake, and his speache is of no value.

Let such one thinke this, that such as wee are in woorde by letters, when we are absent, such wil we be also in deede, when we are present.

For wee dare not make our selues of the nomber, or to compare our selues to them, which praise themselues: but they vnderstand not that they measure themselues with themselues, and compare themselues with themselues.

But we wil not reioyce of things, which are not within our measure, but according to the measure of the line, whereof God hath distributed vnto vs a measure to attaine euen vnto you.

For we stretche not our selues beyonde our measure, as though wee had not attained vnto you: for euen to you also haue we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

Not boasting of things which are without our measure: that is, of other mens labours: and we hope, when your faith shall increase, to bee magnified by you according to our line aboundantly,

And to preache the Gospel in those regions which are beyonde you: not to reioyce in another mans line, that is, in the thinges that are prepared alreadie.

But let him that reioyceth, reioyce in the Lord.

For hee that praiseth himselfe, is not alowed, but he whome the Lord praiseth.

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.

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.

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

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

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,

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

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.

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,

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

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

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.

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.

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

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,

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,

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

But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”(a)

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

Footnotes

(a)10:17 ℘ Jeremiah 9:24