2 Corinthians 10

Paul Speaks Up for Himself

1 Christ is gentle and free of pride. So I make my appeal to you. I, Paul, am the one you call shy when I am face to face with you. But when I am away from you, you call me bold.2 I beg you that when I come I won't have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people. They think that I live the way the people of this world live.
3 I do live in the world. But I don't fight my battles the way the people of the world do.4 The weapons I fight with are not the weapons the world uses. In fact, it is just the opposite. My weapons have the power of God to destroy the camps of the enemy.
5 I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.6 Until you have obeyed completely, I will be ready to punish you every time you don't obey.
7 You are looking only at what appears on the surface of things. Suppose you are sure you belong to Christ. Then you should consider again that I belong to Christ just as much as you do.
8 Do I brag too much about the authority the Lord gave me? If I do, it's because I want to build you up, not pull you down. And I'm not ashamed of that kind of bragging.
9 Don't think that I'm trying to scare you with my letters.10 Some say, "His letters sound important. They are powerful. But in person he doesn't seem like much. And what he says doesn't amount to anything."11 People like that have a lot to learn. What I say in my letters when I'm away from you, I will do in my actions when I'm with you.
12 I don't dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves. I'm not that kind of person. They measure themselves by themselves. They compare themselves with themselves. When they do that, they are not wise.
13 But I won't brag more than I should. Instead, I will brag only about what I have done in the area God has given me. It is an area that reaches all the way to you.14 I am not going too far in my bragging. I would be going too far if I hadn't come to where you live. But I did get there with the good news about Christ.
15 And I won't brag about work done by others. If I did, I would be bragging more than I should. As your faith continues to grow, I hope that my work among you will greatly increase.16 Then I will be able to preach the good news in the areas beyond you. I don't want to brag about work already done in someone else's territory.
17 But, "The one who brags should brag about what the Lord has done." (Jeremiah 9:24)18 Those who praise themselves are not accepted. Those the Lord praises are accepted.

2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:2 yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count 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 flesh4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),5 casting 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;6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.7 Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also are we.8 For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame:9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.10 For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.11 Let such a one reckon 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 certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.13 But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you.14 For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ:15 not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance,16 so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s province in regard of things ready to our hand.17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.