1 I PAUL also exhort you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in appearance am humble among you, but being absent am bold towards you;
2 and I desire that I may not be bold when present, with that confidence which I design to use against some who speak 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 arms of our warfare are not of flesh, but mighty with God to the pulling down of strongholds,
5 destroying [false] reasonings and every height which is exalted against the knowledge of God, and subjecting every thought to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is completed.
7 You see things according to appearances. If any one trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider again with himself that as he is Christ's so also are we.
8 For if I should even boast some of our authority which the Lord gave for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.
9 [But I forbear,] that I may not seem as though I would terrify you by epistles.
10 For the epistles, say they, are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak and speech contemptible.
11 Let such a one think, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also will we be in work when present.
12 For we dare not judge or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves with themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things not measured, but according to the measure of the rule which God has given us, to come even to you.
14 For we do not stretch ourselves out too far, as if we had not come to you, for we came even to you with the gospel of Christ;
15 not boasting of things unmeasured in the labors of others, but having a hope, your faith being increased, that we shall be magnified among you according to our rule abundantly,
16 to preach the gospel in the parts beyond you, not to boast of things prepared by another's rule.
17 But let him that glories glory in the Lord;
18 for not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.