| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1By 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! | 1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away. |
| 2I 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. | 2I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh. |
| 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. | 3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. |
| 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. | 4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. |
| 5We 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. | 5We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. |
| 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. | 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete. |
| 7You 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. | 7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does. |
| 8So 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. | 8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed. |
| 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. | 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters. |
| 10For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." | 10For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.” |
| 11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. | 11Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present. |
| 12We 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. | 12We 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 show their ignorance. |
| 13We, 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. | 13We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you. |
| 14We 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. | 14We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ. |
| 15Neither 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, | 15Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well, |
| 16so 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. | 16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory. |
| 17But, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." | 17Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” |
| 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. | 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. |
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