King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
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I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
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I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are acting according to human standards.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
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Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards;
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
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and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
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We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
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Look at what is before your eyes. If you are confident that you belong to Christ, remind yourself of this, that just as you belong to Christ, so also do we.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
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Now, even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
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I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
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For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
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Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we will also do when present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
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We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they do not show good sense.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
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We, however, will not boast beyond limits, but will keep within the field that God has assigned to us, to reach out even as far as you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
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For we were not overstepping our limits when we reached you; we were the first to come all the way to you with the good news of Christ.
15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
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We do not boast beyond limits, that is, in the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith increases, our sphere of action among you may be greatly enlarged,
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
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so that we may proclaim the good news in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in someone else's sphere of action.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
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"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
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For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.