<h3>Paul’s Defense of His Ministry</h3>10 By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 7 You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. 12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

2 Corinthians 10:1

By the humility and gentleness<cr>1</cr> of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,<cr>2</cr> who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!

I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold<cr>1</cr> as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.<cr>2</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:2

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.<cr>1</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:3

The weapons we fight with<cr>1</cr> are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power<cr>2</cr> to demolish strongholds.<cr>3</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:4

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,<cr>1</cr> and we take captive every thought to make it obedient<cr>2</cr> to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.<cr>1</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:6

You are judging by appearances.<ft>1</ft><cr>1</cr> If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,<cr>2</cr> they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.<cr>3</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:7

So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us<cr>1</cr> for building you up rather than tearing you down,<cr>2</cr> I will not be ashamed of it.

2 Corinthians 10:8

I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters.

2 Corinthians 10:9

For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive<cr>1</cr> and his speaking amounts to nothing.”<cr>2</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:10

Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

2 Corinthians 10:11

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.<cr>1</cr> When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

2 Corinthians 10:12

We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,<cr>1</cr> a sphere that also includes you.

2 Corinthians 10:13

We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you<cr>1</cr> with the gospel of Christ.<cr>2</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:14

Neither do we go beyond our limits<cr>1</cr> by boasting of work done by others.<cr>2</cr> Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,<cr>3</cr> our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand,

2 Corinthians 10:15

so that we can preach the gospel<cr>1</cr> in the regions beyond you.<cr>2</cr> For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory.

2 Corinthians 10:16

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”<ft>1</ft><cr>1</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:17

For it is not the one who commends himself<cr>1</cr> who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.<cr>2</cr>

2 Corinthians 10:18

 1 By the humility and gentleness   of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,   who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold   as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.   3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.   4 The weapons we fight with   are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power   to demolish strongholds.   5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,   and we take captive every thought to make it obedient   to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.   7 You are judging by appearances.    If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,   they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.   8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us   for building you up rather than tearing you down,   I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive   and his speaking amounts to nothing.”   11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. 12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.   When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,   a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you   with the gospel of Christ.   15 Neither do we go beyond our limits   by boasting of work done by others.   Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,   our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel   in the regions beyond you.   For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”    18 For it is not the one who commends himself   who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

2 Corinthians 10 - NIV

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