1NowIPaulmyselfbeseechyouby the meeknessandgentleness of Christ, whoinpresence am baseamongyou, but being absent am boldtowardyou:
2But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be boldagainstsome, whichthink of usas if we walkedaccording to the flesh.
3For though we walkin the flesh, we donotwarafter the flesh:
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(For the weapons of ourwarfare are notcarnal, butmighty through Godto the pulling down of strong holds;)
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Casting downimaginations, andevery high thing that exalteth itselfagainst the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivityeverythoughtto the obedience of Christ;
6Andhavingin a readiness to revengealldisobedience, whenyourobedience is fulfilled.
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Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any mantrust to himselfthatheis Christ's, let himofhimselfthinkthisagain, that, asheis Christ's, evenso are we Christ's.
8Forthough I shouldboastsomewhatmoreofourauthority, which the Lord hath givenusforedification, andnotforyourdestruction, I shouldnot be ashamed:
9That I maynotseemasif I would terrifyyoubyletters.
10For his letters, say they, are weightyandpowerful; but his bodilypresence is weak, and his speechcontemptible.
11Letsuch an onethinkthis, that, suchas we are in wordbyletters when we areabsent, such will we be also in deed when we arepresent.
12For we darenotmakeourselves of the number, orcompareourselveswithsome that commendthemselves: buttheymeasuringthemselvesbythemselves, andcomparingthemselvesamongthemselves, arenotwise.
13Butwewillnotboast of things without our measure, butaccording to the measure of the rulewhichGod hath distributed to us, a measure to reachevenuntoyou.
14For we stretchnotourselvesbeyond our measure, as though we reachednotuntoyou: for we are comeas far as to youalsoin preaching the gospel of Christ:
15Notboastingof things withoutourmeasure, that is, of other men's labours; buthavinghope, when yourfaith is increased, that we shall be enlargedbyyouaccording to ourruleabundantly,
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To preach the gospelin the regions beyondyou, and not to boastin another man's lineof things made ready to our hand.
17But he that glorieth, let him gloryin the Lord.
18Fornothe that commendethhimselfisapproved, butwhom the Lordcommendeth.