The Koine Bible

But I, Paul, appeal to you by the gentleness and kindness of the Messiah, who in person is humble among you, but absent I am bold toward you.

But I beg you not to be confident beyond what you see in the confidence I have toward some who consider us as walking according to the flesh.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh—

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the destruction of strongholds—destroying arguments

and every height raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of the Messiah,

and ready to take vengeance on every disobedience when your obedience is complete.

Consider what is visible outwardly. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, let him think again about himself that just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.

For if I boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building up and not for tearing down you, I will not be ashamed,

so that I may not seem as if I am trying to frighten you through the letters;

For the letters, he says, are weighty and strong, but the presence of the body is weak and the speech is despised.

Let the one who says this consider that we are such as to be in word, though absent in letters, yet present in deed.

For we do not dare to judge or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand.

But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God assigned to us for measuring, to reach even to you--

For we do not extend ourselves beyond our limits as if we had not reached you, for even to you we have come in the gospel of the Messiah—

Not boasting beyond measure in someone else’s labors, but having hope that as your faith increases, we will be greatly enlarged among you according to our rule for abundance,

to preach the gospel beyond you, not boasting in another's authority over the things already prepared.

But the one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.

For the one who commends himself is not approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.