Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 10"

2 Corinthians 10

Good News Translation GNT

1 I, 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 Christ

2 I 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.

3 It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives.

4 The 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;

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

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

7 You 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.

8 For 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.

9 I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.

10 Someone 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!"

11 Such 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.

12 Of 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!

13 As 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.

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

15 So 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.

16 Then 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.

17 But as the scripture says, "Whoever wants to boast must boast about what the Lord has done."

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

World English Bible WEB

1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you.

2 Yes, I beg 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.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

7 Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's.

8 For though I should boast 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,

9 that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

10 For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

14 For we don't stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn't reach to you. For we came even as far as to you in the gospel of Christ,

15 not boasting beyond proper limits in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be magnified in you according to our boundaries to abundance,

16 so as to preach the gospel even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."

18 For it isn't he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.