2 Corinthians 10
Paul Defends His Ministry
aI, Paul, myself entreat you, by the bmeekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— 2 I beg of you athat when I am present I may not have to show bboldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the aweapons of bour warfare are not of the flesh but have cdivine power dto destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and aevery lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to bobey Christ, 6 abeing ready to punish every disobedience, bwhen your obedience is complete.
7 aLook at what is before your eyes. bIf anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as che is Christ’s, dso also are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of aour authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. 9 I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but ahis bodily presence is weak, and bhis speech of no account.” 11 Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we dare to classify or acompare ourselves with some of those who bare commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are cwithout understanding.
13 But we will not boast abeyond limits, but will bboast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, cto reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. aFor we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that aas your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be bgreatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. 17 “Let athe one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is anot the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one bwhom the Lord commends.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.