Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Now I Paul, myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ: who in presence indeed am lowly 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 am thought to be bold, against some who reckon 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 according to 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 to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,
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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 And every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: and bringing into captivity every understanding unto 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 readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.
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We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.
7 See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ’s let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ’s, so are we also.
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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 if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto 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 But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
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I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
10 (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; 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 a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also we will be indeed when 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 match or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves.
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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 glory beyond our measure: but according to the measure of the rule which God hath measured 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 if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in 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 glorying beyond measure in other men’s labours: but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in 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 Yea, unto those places that are beyond you to preach the gospel: not to glory in another man’s rule, in those things that are 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 who commendeth himself is approved: but he, whom God commendeth.
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For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.
The Douay-Rheims Bible 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.