The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

And I, Paul, myself, call on you—through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ—who in presence [am] indeed humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

and I implore [you], that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

for walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

bringing down reasonings, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

You see the outward appearance. If anyone has trusted in himself to be Christ’s, let him reckon this again from himself, that according as he is Christ’s, so also we [are] Christ’s;

for even if I will also boast anything more abundantly concerning our authority, that the LORD gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,

“because the letters indeed,” says one, “[are] weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.”

This one—let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, [we are] in deed.

For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

and we will not boast ourselves in regard to the unmeasured things, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure appointed to us—to reach even to you;

for we do not stretch ourselves too much, as not reaching to you, for even to you we came in the good news of the Christ,

not boasting of the things not measured, in other men’s labors, and having hope—your faith increasing—in you to be enlarged, according to our line—into abundance,

to proclaim good news in the [places] beyond you, not in another’s line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;

and he who is boasting—let him boast in the LORD;

for he who is commending himself is not approved, but he whom the LORD commends.

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