| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!)-- | 1Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ--I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. |
| 2now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards. | 2I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way. |
| 3For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, | 3For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, |
| 4for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments | 4since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments |
| 5and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. | 5and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. |
| 6We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. | 6And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed. |
| 7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we. | 7Look at what is obvious. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. |
| 8For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so. | 8For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. |
| 9I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters, | 9I don't want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. |
| 10because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account." | 10For it is said, "His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable." |
| 11Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present. | 11Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present. |
| 12For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. | 12For we don't dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding. |
| 13But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you. | 13We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even to you. |
| 14For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ. | 14For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. |
| 15Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits, | 15We are not bragging beyond measure about other people's labors. But we have the hope that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, |
| 16so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person's area. | 16so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you, not boasting about what has already been done in someone else's area of ministry. |
| 17But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. | 17So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. |
| 18For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends. | 18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends. |
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