Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 10"

2 Corinthians 10

New Living Translation NLT

1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away.

2 Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives.

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.

4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

7 Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do.

8 I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.

9 I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters.

10 For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”

11 Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away.

12 Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

13 We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you.

14 We are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ.

15 Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended.

16 Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory.

17 As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD .”

18 When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

Common English Bible CEB

1 I, Paul, make a personal request to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ. I'm shy when I'm with you, but I'm bossy when I'm away from you!

2 I beg you that when I'm with you in person, I won't have to boss you around. I'm afraid that I may have to use that kind of behavior with those people who think we live by human standards.

3 Although we live in the world, we don't fight our battles with human methods.

4 Our weapons that we fight with aren't human, but instead they are powered by God for the destruction of fortresses. They destroy arguments,

5 and every defense that is raised up to oppose the knowledge of God. They capture every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

6 Once your obedience is complete, we are ready to punish any disobedience.

7 Look at what is right in front of you! If anyone is sure about belonging to Christ, that person should think again. We belong to Christ just like that person.

8 Even if I went on to brag about our authority, I wouldn't be ashamed of it. The Lord gave us that authority to build you up and not to destroy you.

9 I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to intimidate you with my letters.

10 I know what some people are saying: "His letters are severe and powerful, but in person he is weak and his speech is worth nothing."

11 These people need to think about this—that when we are with you, our actions will show that we are the same as the words we wrote when we were away from you.

12 We won't dare to place ourselves in the same league or to compare ourselves with some of those who are promoting themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding.

13 We won't take pride in anything more than what is appropriate. Let's look at the boundaries of our work area that God has assigned to us. It's an area that includes you.

14 We aren't going out of bounds, as if our work area doesn't extend as far as you. We were the first ones to travel as far as Corinth with the gospel of Christ.

15 We don't take pride in what other people do outside of our boundaries. We hope that our work will be extended even more by you as your faith grows, until it expands fully (within the boundaries, of course).

16 We hope that our work grows even to the point of the gospel being preached in places beyond Corinth, without bragging about what has already been done in another person's work area.

17 But, the one who brags should brag in the Lord.

18 It isn't the person who promotes himself or herself who is approved but the person whom the Lord commends.