- 1
- But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, [when present] [am] mean among you, but absent am bold towards you;
- 2
- 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
- For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.
- 4
- For the arms of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful according to God to [the] overthrow of strongholds;
- 5
- 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
- and having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.
- 7
- 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 [is] of Christ, so also [are] we.
- 8
- For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given [to us] for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame;
- 9
- that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:
- 10
- because his letters, he says, [are] weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.
- 11
- Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters [when] absent, such also present in deed.
- 12
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- to announce the glad tidings to that [which is] beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.
- 17
- But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.
- 18
- For not *he* that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
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