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.
Jer 9:24
|
18 | For not he that commendeth himself is
approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. |