1 I , Paul, ask you this myself. I do it through Christ Who is so gentle and kind. Some people say that I am gentle and quiet when I am with you, but that I have no fear and that my language is strong when I am away from you.

Now 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!

2 D o not make me speak strong words to you when I come. Some people think we want the things of the world because of what we do and say. I have decided to talk to these people if I have to.

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.

3 I t is true, we live in a body of flesh. But we do not fight like people of the world.

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

4 W e do not use those things to fight with that the world uses. We use the things God gives to fight with and they have power. Those things God gives to fight with destroy the strong-places of the devil.

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

5 W e break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ.

refute 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),

6 W e are ready to punish those who will not obey as soon as you obey in everything.

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

7 Y ou are seeing things only as men see them. If anyone feels sure he belongs to Christ, he should remember that we belong to Christ also.

Look 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.

8 I am not ashamed if I say this of myself. The Lord gave me the right and the power to help you become stronger, not to break you down.

For 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,

9 I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.

Neither would I seem to be overawing or frightening you with my letters;

10 T hey say, “His letters are strong and they make us think. When he is here with us, he is weak and he is hard to listen to.”

For 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).

11 W hat we say in our letters we will do when we get there. They should understand this.

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

12 W e do not compare ourselves with those who think they are good. They compare themselves with themselves. They decide what they think is good or bad and compare themselves with those ideas. They are foolish.

Not 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.

13 B ut we will not talk with pride more than God allows us to. We will follow the plan of the work He has given us to do and you are a part of that work.

We, 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.

14 W e did not go farther than we were supposed to go when we came to you. But we did come to you with the Good News of Christ.

For 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.

15 W e take no pride in the work others have done there. But we hope your faith will keep growing because of help from others. Then we will grow because of you.

We 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,

16 W e hope to preach the Good News in the countries on the other side of you. Then we would take no pride in work done by another person in another country.

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

17 I f anyone wants to be proud, he should be proud of what the Lord has done.

However, let him who boasts and glories boast and glory in the Lord.

18 I t is not what a man thinks and says of himself that is important. It is what God thinks of him.

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