102 Corinthians 10

Paul Defends His Ministry

1I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you—I who am said to be meek and mild when I am with you, but harsh with you when I am away. By the gentleness and kindness of ChristSelect 2 Corinthians 10:1

2I beg you not to force me to be harsh when I come; for I am sure I can deal harshly with those who say that we act from worldly motives.Select 2 Corinthians 10:2

3It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives.Select 2 Corinthians 10:3

4The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments;Select 2 Corinthians 10:4

5we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.Select 2 Corinthians 10:5

6And after you have proved your complete loyalty, we will be ready to punish any act of disloyalty.Select 2 Corinthians 10:6

7You are looking at the outward appearance of things. Are there some there who reckon themselves to belong to Christ? Well, let them think again about themselves, because we belong to Christ just as much as they do.Select 2 Corinthians 10:7

8For I am not ashamed, even if I have boasted somewhat too much about the authority that the Lord has given us—authority to build you up, not to tear you down.Select 2 Corinthians 10:8

9I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.Select 2 Corinthians 10:9

10Someone will say, “Paul's letters are severe and strong, but when he is with us in person, he is weak, and his words are nothing!”Select 2 Corinthians 10:10

11Such a person must understand that there is no difference between what we write in our letters when we are away and what we will do when we are there with you.Select 2 Corinthians 10:11

12Of course we would not dare classify ourselves or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. How stupid they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and they judge themselves by their own standards!Select 2 Corinthians 10:12

13As for us, however, our boasting will not go beyond certain limits; it will stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us, and this includes our work among you.Select 2 Corinthians 10:13

14And since you are within those limits, we were not going beyond them when we came to you, bringing the Good News about Christ.Select 2 Corinthians 10:14

15So we do not boast about the work that others have done beyond the limits God set for us. Instead, we hope that your faith may grow and that we may be able to do a much greater work among you, always within the limits that God has set.Select 2 Corinthians 10:15

16Then we can preach the Good News in other countries beyond you and shall not have to boast about work already done in someone else's field.Select 2 Corinthians 10:16

17But as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast about what the Lord has done.”Select 2 Corinthians 10:17

18For it is when the Lord thinks well of us that we are really approved, and not when we think well of ourselves.Select 2 Corinthians 10:18