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Paul's Ministry Defended

¹ Now I, Paul, appeal to you myself by the humility and gentleness of Christ, who when I am present in person^[a] am humble among you, but when I^[b] am absent am bold toward you— ² now I ask when I^[c] am present that I will not need to be bold with the confidence with which I propose to show boldness toward some who consider us as behaving according to the flesh. ³ For although we^[d] are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments ⁵ and all pride that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. ⁶ And we are ready^[e] to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is completed.

⁷ You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is convinced he himself is Christ's, he should consider this concerning himself again: that just as Christ himself is, so also are we. ⁸ For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down^[f], I will not be put to shame, ⁹ so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters, ¹⁰ because it is said, "His letters are severe and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is of no account." ¹¹ Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word by letters when we^[g] are absent, we will also be in actions^[h] when we^[i] are present.

¹² For we do not dare to classify or to compare ourselves with some who commend themselves, but they themselves, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, do not understand. ¹³ But we will not boast beyond limits^[j], but according to the measure of the assignment that God has assigned to us as a measure to reach even as far as you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we^[k] had not reached you, because we have reached even as far as you with the gospel of Christ, ¹⁵ not boasting beyond limits^[l] in the labors of others, but having hope that as your faith is growing to be enlarged greatly by you according to our assignment, ¹⁶ so that we may proclaim the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast in the things accomplished in the area assigned to someone else. ¹⁷ But "the one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."^{[m] 18} For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.