15THANKS [BE] NOW <THE> TO GOD FOR THE INDESCRIBABLE OF HIM GIFT! 15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
1MYSELF NOW I MYSELF PAUL EXHORT YOU THROUGH THE MEEKNESS AND GENTLENESS <THE> OF CHRIST, WHO AS TO APPEARANCE INDEED [AM] HUMBLE AMONG YOU, BEING ABSENT HOWEVER I AM BOLD TOWARD YOU; Paul’s Apostolic Authority 1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you— I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
2I IMPLORE [YOU] NOW THAT NOT BEING PRESENT TO BE BOLD WITH THE CONFIDENCE WITH WHICH I RECKON TO BE DARING TOWARD SOME THOSE RECKONING US AS ACCORDING TO FLESH WALKING. 2I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
3IN FLESH FOR WALKING NOT ACCORDING TO FLESH DO WE WAGE WAR, 3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4THE FOR WEAPONS OF THE WARFARE OF US [ARE] NOT FLESHLY BUT POWERFUL <THE> DIVINELY TO [THE] DEMOLITION OF STRONGHOLDS, [5] ARGUMENTS OVERTHROWING 4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5AND EVERY HIGH THING LIFTING ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE <THE> OF GOD AND TAKING CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT INTO THE OBEDIENCE <THE> OF CHRIST 5We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
6AND IN READINESS HAVING TO AVENGE ALL DISOBEDIENCE, WHEN MAY HAVE BEEN FULFILLED YOUR <THE> OBEDIENCE. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
7THE [THINGS] ACCORDING TO APPEARANCE ARE YOU LOOKING. IF ANYONE IS PERSUADED IN HIMSELF OF CHRIST TO BE, THIS HE SHOULD RECKON AGAIN WITHIN HIMSELF THAT EVEN AS HE [IS] OF CHRIST, SO ALSO [ARE] WE OURSELVES OF CHRIST. 7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
8IF EVEN FOR AND MORE EXCESSIVE SOMEWHAT I SHALL BOAST CONCERNING THE AUTHORITY OF US WHICH HAS GIVEN THE LORD TO US FOR BUILDING [YOU] UP AND NOT FOR TEARING DOWN YOU, NOT I WILL BE ASHAMED; 8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down I will not be ashamed.
9THAT NOT [I] MAY SEEM AS IF TO FRIGHTEN YOU THROUGH THE LETTERS. 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
10FOR THE LETTERS INDEED THEY SAY [ARE] WEIGHTY AND STRONG, <THE> HOWEVER THE PRESENCE OF THE BODY WEAK AND THE SPEECH IGNORED. 10For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account. ”
11THIS SHOULD REALISE <THE> TYPE OF [PERSON] THAT SUCH AS WE ARE <THE> IN WORD THROUGH LETTERS BEING ABSENT, SUCH [WE ARE] ALSO BEING PRESENT <THE> IN ACTION. 11Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.
12NOT FOR DARE WE TO CLASSIFY OR TO COMPARE OURSELVES [WITH] SOME <THE> THEMSELVES COMMENDING; BUT THESE BY THEMSELVES THEMSELVES MEASURING AND COMPARING THEMSELVES WITH THEMSELVES NOT UNDERSTAND. 12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.
13WE OURSELVES HOWEVER NOT INTO THE [THINGS] BEYOND MEASURE WILL BOAST BUT ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE AREA THAT HAS ASSIGNED TO US <THE> GOD A MEASURE TO REACH AS FAR AS ALSO YOU. 13We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us— a field that reaches even to you.
14NOT FOR AS NOT REACHING TO YOU WE ARE OVEREXTENDING OURSELVES; AS FAR AS FOR ALSO YOU WE CAME IN THE GOSPEL <THE> OF CHRIST; 14We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.
15NOT TO THE [THINGS] BEYOND MEASURE BOASTING IN OTHERS’ LABORS, HOPE HOWEVER HAVING INCREASING THE FAITH OF YOU AMONG YOU TO BE ENLARGED ACCORDING TO THE AREA OF US TO EXCESS, 15Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well
16SO AS THAT BEYOND YOU TO EVANGELISE, NOT IN ANOTHER’S AREA IN <THE> [THINGS] READY TO BOAST. 16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.
17THE [ONE] HOWEVER BOASTING IN [THE] LORD HE SHOULD BOAST; 17Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”*NoteCloseJeremiah 9:24
18NOT FOR THE [ONE] HIMSELF COMMENDING, THIS [ONE] IS APPROVED, BUT [THE ONE] WHOM THE LORD COMMENDS. 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.