2 Corinthians 10

¹Now I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I who in appearance indeed am humble among you, but being absent am bold toward you;

²and I beg that when present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I reckon to be daring against some who consider us as walking according to the flesh.

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

⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful before God for the demolition of strongholds —

⁵and every high thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ;

⁶and being ready to avenge all disobedience, whenever your obedience has been fulfilled.

⁷You are looking at the things according to appearance. If anyone is persuaded in himself to be Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we Christ's.

⁸For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly about our authority, which the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame;

⁹that I may not seem as if to frighten you by my letters.

¹⁰For his letters indeed, he says, are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.

¹¹Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such we are also in deed when present.

¹²For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand.

¹³But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach as far as even you.

¹⁴For we are not overextending ourselves, as though not reaching to you; for we came as far as even you in the gospel of Christ.

¹⁵not boasting beyond measure in others' labors, but having hope, as your faith increases, to be enlarged among you according to our sphere unto abundance,

¹⁶to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to boast in another's sphere in things already prepared.

¹⁷But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord;

¹⁸For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.