2 Corinthians 10
10
Paul Describes Himself
1Now I, Paul, urge you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am meek [so they say] when with you face to face, but bold [outspoken and fearless] toward you when absent! 2I ask that when I do come I will not be driven to the boldness that I intend to show toward those few who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh [like men without the Spirit]. 3For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. 4The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, 6being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.
7You are looking [only] at the outward appearance of things. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he is Christ’s, so too are we. 8For even though I boast rather freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed [of the truth], 9nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters; 10for they say, “His letters are weighty and forceful and impressive, but his #10:10 Among the Greeks, a speaker’s presence and delivery were as important as his message, as the orator Demosthenes made clear when he said that the three most important elements of a speech are delivery, delivery, and delivery. However, Paul did not follow these rules because the message of salvation does not need to be presented with fanfare in order to reach the hearts of the audience.personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible [of no account].” 11Let such people realize that what we say by word in letters when we are absent, is the same as what we are in action when present.
12We do not have the audacity to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with some who [supply testimonials to] commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they lack wisdom and behave like fools. 13We, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our proper limit, but [will keep] within the #10:13 I.e. ministry to the Gentiles.limits of our commission (territory, authority) which God has granted to us as a measure, which reaches and includes even you. 14We are not overstepping the limits of our province, as if we did not [legitimately] reach to you, for we were the [very] first to come even as far as you with the good news of Christ. 15We do not go beyond our proper limit, boasting in the work of other men, but we have the hope that as your faith [in Christ and His divine power] continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly expanded [but still within the limits of our commission], 16so that we may preach the gospel even in the lands beyond you, but not to boast in work already accomplished in another one’s field of activity. 17However, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” [Jer 9:24] 18For it is not he who commends and praises himself who is approved [by God], but it is the one whom the Lord commends and praises.
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2 Corinthians 10
10
1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly amongst you, but being absent am bold towards you. 2Yes, 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. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, 5throwing 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, 6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full.
7 Do 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 we also are Christ’s. 8For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed, 9that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters. 10For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.” 11Let 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.
12 For 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. 13But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you. 14For 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, 15not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labours, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, 16so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done. 17But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”#Jeremiah 9:24 18For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
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