1 N ow 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.

¶ Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and clemency of the Christ (who in presence am low among you, but being absent am bold toward you)

2 Y es, 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.

but I beseech you that I need not be bold when I am present with that confidence, with which I am esteemed to use against some who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3 F or though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh;

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh

4 f or the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the destruction of strong holds),

5 t hrowing 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;

casting down reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ

6 a nd being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

and having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

7 D o 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 also we are Christ’s.

¶ Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If anyone trusts to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

8 F or though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

For though I should glory somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed,

9 t hat I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

10 F or, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

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 we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

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

12 F or 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.

¶ For we dare not mix ourselves in with or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they do not understand that they are measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves.

13 B ut we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

But we will not glory of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, of the measure which God has distributed to us, to reach even unto you.

14 F or 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,

For we do not overextend ourselves by reaching unto you; for we are also come unto you with the gospel of the Christ,

15 n ot 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,

Not glorying of things beyond our measure in the labours of others; but having hope of the increase of your faith, that we shall be abundantly enlarged among you according to our rule,

16 s o as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without entering into the measure of another to glory in that which has already been made ready.

17 B ut “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

18 F or it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

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