Paul’s Apostolic Authority 1 UEB I, Paul, myself appeal to you, by the humility and gentleness of Christ. I am meek when I am in your presence, but I am bold toward you when I am away. BSB BSB: Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
2 UEB I beg of you that, when I am present with you, I will not need to be bold with self-confidence. But I think I will need to be bold when I oppose those who assume that we are living according to the flesh. BSB BSB: I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
3 UEB For even though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. BSB BSB: For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4 UEB For the weapons we fight with are not fleshly. Instead, they have divine power to destroy strongholds. They bring to nothing misleading arguments. BSB BSB: The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 UEB We also destroy every high thing that rises up against the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive into obedience to Christ. BSB BSB: We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
6 UEB And we are getting ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete. BSB BSB: And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
7 UEB Look at what is clearly in front of you. If anyone is convinced that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. BSB BSB: You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
8 UEB For even if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for us to build you up and not to destroy you, I will not be ashamed. BSB BSB: For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.
9 UEB I do not want it to appear that I am terrifying you by my letters. BSB BSB: I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
10 UEB For some people say, "His letters are serious and powerful, but physically he is weak. His words are not worth listening to." BSB BSB: For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”
11 UEB Let such people be aware that what we are in the words of our letters when we are absent is what we will be in our actions when we are there. BSB BSB: Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.
12 UEB We do not go so far as to group ourselves or compare ourselves with those who praise themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with each other, they have no insight. BSB BSB: We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.
13 UEB We, however, will not boast beyond limits. Instead, we will do so only within the limits of what God has assigned to us, limits that reach as far as you. BSB BSB: We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.
14 UEB For we did not overextend ourselves when we reached you. We were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel of Christ. BSB BSB: We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.
15 UEB We have not boasted beyond limits about the labors of others. Instead, we expect that as your faith continues to grow, our work among you will greatly expand. BSB BSB: Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,
16 UEB We hope for this, so that we may preach the gospel even in regions beyond you. We will not boast about the work being done in another's area. BSB BSB: so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.
17 UEB "But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." BSB BSB: Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
18 UEB For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved. Instead, it is the one whom the Lord recommends. BSB BSB: For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.