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Paul’s Apostolic Authority

¹ Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. ² I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving according to the flesh.^{(C1) 3} For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, ⁴ since the weapons of our warfare^(C1) are not of the flesh, but are powerful^(C2) through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge^(C1) of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. ⁶ And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

⁷ Look at what is obvious.^(F1) If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,^(C1) let him remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. ⁸ For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up^(C1) and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame. ⁹ I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. ¹⁰ For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak and his public speaking amounts to nothing.” ¹¹ Let such a person consider this: What we are in our letters, when we are absent, we will also be in our actions when we are present.

¹² For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend^(C1) themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,^(C2) they lack understanding.^{(C3) 13} We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned^(C1) to us, which reaches even to you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ We are not boasting beyond measure about other people’s labors. On the contrary, we have the hope^(C1) that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, ¹⁶ so that we may preach the gospel to the regions beyond you^(C1) without boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.^{(C2) 17} So let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.^{(F1)(C1) 18} For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.^(C1)