1 N ow 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.

But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, mean among you, but absent am bold towards you;

2 B ut 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.

but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh.

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

For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

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

For the arms of our warfare not fleshly, but powerful according to God to overthrow of strongholds;

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

overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ;

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

and having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.

7 D o 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.

Do ye look at what concerns appearance? If any one has confidence in himself that he is of Christ, let him think this again in himself, that even as he of Christ, so also we.

8 F or 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—

For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame;

9 l est I seem to terrify you by letters.

that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:

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

because his letters, he says, weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.

11 L et 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

Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters absent, such also present in deed.

12 F or 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.

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.

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

Now we will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also.

14 F or 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;

For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings of the Christ;)

15 n ot 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,

not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly

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

to announce the glad tidings to that beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.

17 B ut “he who glories, let him glory in the L ord.”

But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.

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

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