New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 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!—
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Now I, Paul, myself make request to you by the quiet and gentle behaviour of Christ, I who am poor in spirit when with you, but who say what is in my mind to you without fear when I am away from you:
2 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.
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Yes, I make my request to you, so that when I am with you I may not have to make use of the authority which may be needed against some to whom we seem to be walking after the flesh.
3 Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards;
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For though we may be living in the flesh, we are not fighting after the way of the flesh
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments
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(For the arms with which we are fighting are not those of the flesh, but are strong before God for the destruction of high places);
5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
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Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;
6 We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.
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Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.
7 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.
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Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.
8 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.
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For though I might take pride in our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for your destruction), it will not be a cause of shame to me:
9 I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
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That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.
10 For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
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For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.
11 Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we will also do when present.
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Let those who say this keep in mind that, what we are in word by letters when we are away, so will we be in act when we are present.
12 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.
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For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.
13 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.
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We will not give glory to ourselves in over-great measure, but after the measure of the rule which God has given us, a measure which comes even to you.
14 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.
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For we have no need to make ourselves seem more than we are, as if our authority did not come as far as to you: for we came even as far as you with the good news of Christ:
15 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,
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Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for an increase which is the effect of our work,
16 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.
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So that we may be able to go on and take the good news to countries still farther away than you are, and not take credit for another man's work in making things ready to our hand.
17 "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
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But whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord.
18 For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.
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For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his opinion of himself, but on the Lord's opinion of him.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.