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:
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.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
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.
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:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; 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.
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.
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.
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:
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,
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.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

1Now I Paul my selfe beseech you, by the meekenes and gentlenesse of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent, am bold toward you:

2But I beseech you, that I may not bee bold when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I thinke to be bold against some, which thinke of vs as if wee walked according to the flesh.

3For though we walke in the flesh, we doe not warre after the flesh:

4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds.)

5Casting down imaginations, and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ:

6And hauing in a readinesse to reuenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

7Doe ye looke on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himselfe, that he is Christs, let him of himselfe thinke this againe, that as he is Christs, euen so are we Christs.

8For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority (which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification, and not for your destruction) I should not be ashamed:

9That I may not seeme as if I would terrifie you by letters.

10For his letters (say they) are waighty and powerfull, but his bodily presence is weake, and his speach contemptible.

11Let such a one thinke this: that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such will we be also in deede when we are present.

12For we dare not make our selues of the number, or compare our selues with some that commend themselues: but they measuring themselues by themselues, and comparing themselues amongst themselues, are not wise.

13But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath distributed to vs, a measure to reach euen vnto you.

14For we stretch not our selues beyond our measure as though wee reached not vnto you, for wee are come as farre as to you also, in preaching the Gospel of Christ.

15Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other mens labours, but hauing hope, when your faith is increased, that wee shall bee enlarged by you, according to our rule abundantly.

16To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand.

17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18For, not he that commendeth himselfe is approued, but whom the Lord commendeth.

 

1 Now I myself, Paul, urge you through the gentleness and clemency of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but brave toward you when absent, 2 I beg you that, when present, I may not have to be brave with that confidence with which I intend to act boldly against some who consider us as acting according to the flesh. 3 For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments 5 and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish every disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 7 Look at what confronts you. Whoever is confident of belonging to Christ should consider that as he belongs to Christ, so do we. 8 And even if I should boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall not be put to shame. 9 May I not seem as one frightening you through letters. 10 For someone will say, "His letters are severe and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." 11 Such a person must understand that what we are in word through letters when absent, that we also are in action when present. 12 Not that we dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. 13 But we will not boast beyond measure but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, namely, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overreaching ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we indeed first came to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We are not boasting beyond measure, in other people's labors; yet our hope is that, as your faith increases, our influence among you may be greatly enlarged, within our proper limits, 16 so that we may preach the gospel even beyond you, not boasting of work already done in another's sphere. 17 "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord." 18 For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord recommends.

v1,2. Paul had apparently been attacked by his critics for writing powerful letters but being ineffective in person and having fleshly conduct. He does not rebuke them but merely states his position.
v3,4. We all walk in the flesh, but we don’t have to walk according to the flesh. Instead of carnal weapons of lies,deceit, bribery etc., he uses mighty faith and prayer.
v5,6. When we think how many times our minds wander, even in prayer, it becomes urgent that we use the spiritual weapons to bring every thought into captivity. Paul is confident that the Word will ultimately lead his critics to repentance.
v7,8. They were looking on outward appearance, but Paul had been exercising apostolic authority for years, and it should have been obvious to them that they themselves were proof of his ministry as believers. He doesn’t want to misuse his authority, but use it to build up the saints.
v9-11. They have accused Paul of inconsistency and weakness, that in person he would not be as forceful as he was in his letters. The letters were his means of follow up work, and he assured them he would be just as authoritative in person.
v12,13. Paul was not attempting to commend himself, and we should be very careful not to measure our own spirituality by comparing ourselves with other people. We are to neither exalt ourselves or criticize others. It is folly to compare ourselves to anyone but Christ. We are to each simply do what God has committed to us.
v14-17. Paul was not stepping beyond his appointment. God had called him to preach to Gentiles and his consistent missionary policy was to reach out to areas untouched by others, then let others spread out and fill in the areas between. He thus did not claim success on another man’s foundation. His praise and glory is all to the Lord.
v18. This is a great summary. Paul’s defense opens him up to the charge of boasting, but he does not commend himself. Neither should we. If there is going to be any commendation, let it be from the Lord.