But I myself Paul entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, [I] who face to face [am] mean among you but absent am bold toward you(
but I beseech that I present may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring against some that think of us as walking according to flesh.
For walking in flesh we do not war according to flesh.
For the arms of our warfare [are] not fleshly but powerful with God to the pulling down of strongholds,
pulling down reasonings and every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ,
and being ready to avenge every disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.
Do ye look on things according to appearance? If anyone hath trust in himself that he is of Christ, let him of himself consider this again, that even as he [is] of Christ, so also we.
For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority which the Lord gave for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be ashamed;
that I seem not as it were to terrify you by letters:
because his letters, saith one, [are] weighty and strong, but the presence of the body weak and the speech contemptible.
Let such an one consider this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such also in deed when present.
For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some of those that commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves among themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, are unintelligent.
We however will not boast as to things unmeasured, but according to the measure of the rule which God distributed to us, a measure to reach as far even as you.
For we do not, as though not reaching unto you, overstretch ourselves, for even as far as you we advanced in the gospel of Christ,
not boasting as to things unmeasured in another’s toils, but having hope while your faith increaseth, to be enlarged among you according to our rule unto abundance,
to preach the gospel unto the [quarters] beyond you, not to boast in another’s rule as to things made ready.
But he that boasteth, in the Lord let him boast;
for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.