¹ Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who indeed am lowly in presence among you, but am bold toward you when absent.

² But I pray not to be bold when present with the confidence by which I consider to be valiant toward some who consider us as walking according to flesh.

³ For though walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the demolition of strongholds,

⁵ casting down imaginations, and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought captive into the obedience of the Christ,

⁶ and having in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience is fulfilled.

⁷ Do ye look at things according to appearance. If any man has convinced himself to be of Christ, let him consider this again of himself, that, as he is of Christ, so also are we of Christ.

⁸ For even if I also should boast somewhat more abundantly about our authority (which the Lord gave us for building up and not for tearing you down), I will not be shamed,

⁹ so that I would not seem as if to terrify you by the letters.

¹⁰ Because, The letters, he says, are indeed weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is disdained.

¹¹ Let such a man think this, that such kind we are in word by letters when absent, we are also such kind when present in the work.

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

¹³ But we will not boast in things immeasurable, but according to the measure of the standard that God apportioned to us, of a measure to reach even as far as you.

¹⁴ For it is not as not reaching for you. We overextend ourselves. For we even reached as far as you in the good news of the Christ,

¹⁵ not boasting in things immeasurable, in other men's labors, but having hope of your faith growing in you to be enlarged according to our measure for abundance,

¹⁶ in order to preach the good news beyond you, not to boast in another measure, in things prepared.

¹⁷ But he who boasts should boast in the Lord.

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