Study Desk

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account."

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.

We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,

For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool.

To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.

but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—

though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.