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Paul Describes Himself

¹ Now ^(C1)I, Paul, ^(C2)urge you by the ^(C3)gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who ^(C4)am meek so they say when with you face to face, but bold outspoken and fearless toward you when absent!² I ask that ^(C1)when I do come I will not be driven to the boldness that I intend to show toward ^(C2)those few who regard us as if we walked ^(C3)according to the flesh like men without the Spirit.³ For though we walk in the flesh as mortal men, we are not carrying on our spiritual warfare ^(C1)according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.⁴ The ^(C1)weapons of our warfare are not physical weapons of flesh and blood. Our weapons are divinely powerful ^(C2)for the destruction of fortresses.⁵ We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every ^(C1)exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the ^(C2)obedience of Christ,⁶ being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when ^(C1)your own obedience as a church is complete.

^7 (C1)You are looking only at the outward appearance of things. ^(C2)If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he is Christ's, ^(C3)so too are we.⁸ For even though ^(C1)I boast rather freely about the ^(C2)authority the Lord gave us for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed of the truth,⁹ nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;¹⁰ for they say, "His letters are weighty and forceful and impressive, but his ^(F1)personal presence is ^(C1)unimpressive and ^(C2)his speech contemptible of no account."¹¹ Let such people realize that what we say by word in letters when we are absent, is the same as what we are in action when present.

¹² We do not have the audacity to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with some who supply testimonials to ^(C1)commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they lack wisdom and behave like fools.¹³ We, on the other hand, will not boast ^(C1)beyond our proper limit, but will keep ^(C2)within the ^(F1)limits of our commission (territory, authority) which God has granted to us as a measure, which reaches and includes even you.¹⁴ We are not overstepping the limits of our province, as if we did not legitimately reach to you, for ^(C1)we were the very first to come even as far as you with the ^(C2)good news of Christ.¹⁵ We do not go ^(C1)beyond our proper limit, boasting in the work of ^(C2)other men, but we have the hope that as ^(C3)your faith in Christ and His divine power continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly ^(C4)expanded but still within the limits of our commission,¹⁶ so that we may ^(C1)preach the gospel even in the ^(C2)lands beyond you, but not to boast ^(C3)in work already accomplished in another one's field of activity.¹⁷ However, "^(C1)LET HIM WHO BOASTS BOAST IN THE LORD." ^(VR1)18 For it is not he who ^(C1)commends and praises himself who is approved by God, but it is the one ^(C2)whom the Lord commends and praises.