Paul’s Apostolic Authority 1 RV 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: 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 RV yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present shew courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, which count of us as if we walked 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 RV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh BSB BSB: For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4 RV (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strong holds); BSB BSB: The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 RV 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; 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 RV and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled. BSB BSB: And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
7 RV 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. 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 RV 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: 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 RV that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. BSB BSB: I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
10 RV For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. 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 RV 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. BSB BSB: Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.
12 RV 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. 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 RV 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. 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 RV 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: 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 RV not glorying beyond our measure, that is , in other men’s labours; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further 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 RV 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. 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 RV But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. BSB BSB: Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
18 RV For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. 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.