1 N ow 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!

Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

2 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.

But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3 F or though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

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 of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

5 W e 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,

casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

6 a nd we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Reality of Paul’s Authority

7 Y ou 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.

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

8 F or 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,

For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—

9 f or I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

lest I seem to terrify you by letters.

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

“For his letters,” they say, “ are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

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

Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. Limits of Paul’s Authority

12 F or 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.

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

13 B ut 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.

We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.

14 F or 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;

For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ;

15 n ot 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,

not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,

16 s o 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.

to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

17 B ut he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.

But “he who glories, let him glory in the L ord.”

18 F or it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

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