10:1 Now I Paul myself entreat you+ by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your+ presence am lowly among you+, but being absent am of good courage toward you+:
10:2 yes, I urge you+, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence with which I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds, casting down imaginations,
10:5 and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
10:6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your+ obedience will be made full.
10:7 You+ look at the things that are before your+ face. If any man trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we.
10:8 For even though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you+ up, and not for casting you+ down, I will not be put to shame:
10:9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you+ by my letters.
10:10 For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.
10:11 Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such [are we] also in deed when we are present.
10:12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of those who commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
10:13 But we will not glory beyond [our] measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even to you+.
10:14 For we do not stretch ourselves too much, as though we did not reach to you+: for we came even as far as to you+ in the good news of Christ:
10:15 not glorying beyond [our] measure, [that is,] in other men's labors; but having hope that, as your+ faith grows, we will be magnified in you+ according to our province to [further] abundance,
10:16 so as to preach the good news even to the parts beyond you+, [and] not to glory in another's province in regard of things ready to our hand.
10:17 But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.
10:18 For [it is] not he who commends himself [who] is approved, but whom the Lord commends.