2 Coríntios 10

¹ Now, I (the same Paul who, when present, indeed, am humble among you; but when absent, am bold toward you,)

² beseech you, by the mildness and clemency of Christ. And I request that, when present I may not be bold with that confidence with which I conclude to be bold against some, who conclude us to be really persons who walk according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh;

⁴ (for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but exceeding powerful for the overturning of strongholds;)

⁵ overturning reasonings, and every high thing raised up against the knowledge of God; and leading captive every thought to the obedience of Christ;

⁶ and are prepared to punish all disobedience, when your obedience is completed.

⁷ Do you look on things according to appearance? If any one is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him, on the other hand, reason this from himself, that he is Christ's, so, also, are we.

⁸ And, therefore, I should not be ashamed, if I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord has given us for your edification, and not for your destruction.

⁹ That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters;

¹⁰ (for his letters, says one, are indeed weighty and strong; but his bodily presence weak, and his speech contemptible;)

¹¹ let such a one conclude this, that such as we are in speech by letters, when absent, the same, also, when present, we will be in deed.

¹² But we dare not rank and compare ourselves with some who commend themselves: however, they, among themselves, measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand themselves.

¹³ Further, we will not boast of things not measured according to the line of measure, which the God of measure has allotted to us, to reach even to you.

¹⁴ For we do not stretch ourselves beyond our line, as not reaching to you; (but we are come as far as to you also, in the gospel of Christ.)

¹⁵ We do not boast of things not measured, that is, of other men's labors; but we have hope when your faith is increased, to be by you abundantly enlarged with respect to our line;

¹⁶ to declare the gospel in the regions beyond you; and not in another man's line, to boast of things already prepared.

¹⁷ He, then, who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.

¹⁸ For not he who commends himself is approved; but whom the Lord commends.