1 GLT Now I, Paul, myself— who{ am} meek{ when} face to face among you, but being absent, am bold toward you— appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. 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 GLT Now I am pleading that, being present,{ I will} not{ need} to be bold with the confidence with which I plan to be courageous against some of the ones regarding us as walking 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 GLT For{ though} walking 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 GLT For the weapons of our warfare{ are} not fleshly, but{ are} powerful to God for the tearing down of strongholds, tearing down strategies BSB BSB: The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 GLT and every high thing raising itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive into the obedience of 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 GLT and being in readiness to avenge every act of disobedience, when your obedience would be complete. BSB BSB: And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
7 GLT Look at the things according to appearance. If anyone is confident in himself that he is of Christ, let him consider this again concerning himself: that just as he{ is} of Christ, 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 GLT For even if I might boast somewhat excessively about our authority, which the Lord gave for building up and not for your tearing down, 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 GLT so that I would not seem as if to terrify you through my letters. BSB BSB: I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
10 GLT For{ someone} says,“Indeed, his letters{ are} weighty and forceful, but his bodily presence{ is} weak, and his speech is despised.” 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 GLT Let such{ a person} consider this, that such as we are in our word through letters being absent, such{ we are} also in our deed being present. BSB BSB: Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.
12 GLT For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But these— measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves— do not understand. 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 GLT We, however, will not boast to the immeasurable things, but according to the measure of the limit that God has assigned to us, a measure that reached even 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 GLT For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach to you, for we came even 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 GLT not boasting to the immeasurable things in the labors of others, but having hope,{ as} your faith increases, to be enlarged among you according to our limit to abundance 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 GLT to preach the gospel in the{ places} beyond you— not to boast in the things accomplished 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 GLT But“let the one boasting, boast in the Lord.” BSB BSB: Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
18 GLT For that one commending himself is not approved, but whom the Lord commends. 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.