¹ Now I, the same Paul, who, when present among you, am timid, but when absent, am bold toward you, entreat you, by the mildness and gentleness of Christ;

² I, indeed, beseech you, that I may not, when present, be bold with that confidence with which I think I shall be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked 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 carnal, but mighty, through God, for the overthrowing of strongholds,)

⁵ overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

⁶ and being ready to take vengeance on all disobedience, when your obedience shall have been fully established.

⁷ Do you look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trusts in himself, that he is Christ’s, let him again reason thus of himself: that as he is Christ’s, so also are we.

⁸ For though I should boast even, somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I would not be ashamed:

⁹ that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

¹⁰ For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his style of speech contemptible.

¹¹ Let such a one conclude thus―that such as we are in word, by letters, while absent, such also will we be in deed, when present.

¹² For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, have no understanding.

¹³ But we will not boast ourselves with respect to regions not measured to us; but according to the measure of the line which God, who measures, has appointed for us to reach even to you.

¹⁴ For we do not stretch ourselves too far, as if we did not come to you: for even as far as to you, have we already come in the gospel of the Christ,

¹⁵ not boasting ourselves in the labors of others in regions not measured off to us, but having hope that, when your faith is increased, we shall be magnified among you abundantly, according to our line,

¹⁶ so as to preach the gospel in regions beyond you, and not to boast in regions made ready under another man’s line.

¹⁷ But let him that boasts, boast in the Lord:

¹⁸ for he that commends himself is not approved; but he whom the Lord commends.