Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 10"

2 Corinthians 10

Hebrew Names Version HNV

1 Now I Sha'ul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Messiah; 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 Messiah;

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 Messiah's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Messiah's, so also we are Messiah'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 Good News of Messiah,

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 Good News 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.

The Message Bible MSG

1 And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I'm being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I'm with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters.

2 Please don't force me to take a hard line when I'm present with you. Don't think that I'll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I'm an unprincipled opportunist. Then they'll have to eat their words.

3 The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way - never have and never will.

4 The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture.

5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

6 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

7 You stare and stare at the obvious, but you can't see the forest for the trees. If you're looking for a clear example of someone on Christ's side, why do you so quickly cut me out? Believe me, I am quite sure of my standing with Christ.

8 You may think I overstate the authority he gave me, but I'm not backing off. Every bit of my commitment is for the purpose of building you up, after all, not tearing you down.

9 And what's this talk about me bullying you with my letters?

10 "His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks."

11 Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.

12 We're not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they're our superiors. We wouldn't dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.

13 We aren't making outrageous claims here. We're sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you.

14 We're not moving into someone else's "territory." We were already there with you, weren't we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?

15 We're not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we're hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you'll play a part within our expanding work.

16 And we'll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it.

17 "If you want to claim credit, claim it for God."

18 What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference.