1 N ow I myself, Paul, beseech you, by the gentleness and consideration of Christ who lowly enough when among you face to face, but bold (fearless and outspoken) to you when absent from you!

Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!

2 I entreat you when I do come that I may not boldness as I intend to show toward those few who suspect us of acting according to the flesh.

I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3 F or though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.

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

4 F or the weapons of our warfare are not physical, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5 r efute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

6 B eing in readiness to punish every disobedience, when your own submission and obedience are fully secured and complete.

and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

7 L ook at which is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him reflect and remind himself that even as he is Christ’s, so too are we.

You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.

8 F or even though I boast rather freely about our power and authority, which the Lord gave for your upbuilding and not for demolishing you, yet I shall not be put to shame,

For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame,

9 N either would I seem to be overawing or frightening you with my letters;

for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

10 F or they say, His letters are weighty and impressive and forceful and telling, but his personality and bodily presence are weak, and his speech and delivery are utterly contemptible (of no account).

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”

11 L et such people realize that what we say by letters when we are absent, also into deeds when we are present—

Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

12 N ot that we venture to class or compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

13 W e, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our legitimate province and proper limit, but will keep within the limits God has allotted us as our measuring line and which reaches and includes even you.

But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.

14 F or we are not overstepping the limits of our province and stretching beyond our ability to reach, as though we reached not (had no legitimate mission) to you, for we were to come even as far as to you with the good news (the Gospel) of Christ.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;

15 W e do not boast therefore, beyond our proper limit, over other men’s labors, but we have the hope and confident expectation that as your faith continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, still within the limits of our commission,

not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,

16 S o that preach the Gospel in lands beyond you, without making a boast of work already done in another sphere of activity.

so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

17 H owever, let him who boasts and glories boast and glory in the Lord.

But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.

18 F or not who praises and commends himself who is approved and accepted, but whom the Lord accredits and commends.

For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.