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10 And I myself Paul beseech you, by the mildness and softness of Christ[a], which in the face am meek among you, and I absent trust in you.

For I pray you, that lest I present be not bold by the trust, in which I am guessed to be bold into some, that deem us, as if we wander after the flesh.[b]

For we walking in the flesh, fight not after the flesh.

For the arms of our knighthood be not fleshly, but mighty by God to the destruction of strengths [to the destruction of wardings, or strengths].

And we destroy counsels, and all highness that higheth itself against the science of God, and drive into captivity all understanding into the service of Christ.[c]

And we have ready to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be filled. [Also having in readiness to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.]

See ye the things that be after the face. If any man trusteth to himself, that he is of Christ, think he this thing again with himself, for as he is Christ's, so also we [so and we].

For if I shall glory any thing more of our power, which the Lord gave to us into edifying, and not into your destruction, I shall not be shamed.

But that I be not guessed as to frighten you by epistles, [Forsooth that I be not guessed as to fear you by epistles,]

10 for they say, That epistles be grievous and strong, but the presence of the body is feeble, and the word worthy to be despised.[d]

11 He that is such one, think this, for such as we absent be in word by epistles, such we be present in deed.

12 For we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some men, that commend themselves; but we measure us in us selves, and comparison us selves to us. [Soothly we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some, that commend themselves; but we meting, or measuring, us in ourselves, and comparisoning ourselves to us.]

13 For we shall not have glory over measure, but by the measure of the rule [but after the measure of rule] which God measured to us, the measure that stretcheth [till] to you.

14 For we overstretch not forth us, as not stretching to you. For [till] to you we came in the gospel of Christ,

15 not glorying over measure in other men's travails. For we have hope of your faith that waxeth in you to be magnified by our rule in abundance [Soothly we having hope of your faith waxing in you to be magnified after our rule in abundance],

16 also to preach into those things that be beyond you, not to have glory in other man's rule [not to glory in other man's rule], in these things that be made ready.

17 [Forsooth] He that glorieth, have glory in the Lord [glory he in the Lord].

18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved [is proved], but whom God commendeth.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:1 Forsooth I Paul beseech you, by the gentleness, or mildness, and softness, or patience, of Christ
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:2 Forsooth, I pray you, that I present be not hardy by that trust, in which I am guessed to be hardy into some, which deem us, as (if) we wandered after the flesh.
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:5 Destroying counsels, and all highness raising itself against the science of God, and driving into captivity all understanding into the service of Christ.
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:10 for why they say, The epistles be heavy, or grievous, and strong, but the presence of the body is sick, and the word contemptible, or worthy to be despised.

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.(D) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(E) The weapons we fight with(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(G) to demolish strongholds.(H) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(J) to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(K)

You are judging by appearances.[a](L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(N) So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(P) I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(R) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,(T) a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you(U) with the gospel of Christ.(V) 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits(W) by boasting of work done by others.(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel(Z) in the regions beyond you.(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b](AB) 18 For it is not the one who commends himself(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24

10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

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

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

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

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

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

11 Let such an 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 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

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