Paul’s Apostolic Authority

1And I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and equity of Christ, who, in face truly low with you, but at a distance bold towards you: 2And I pray, being present, not to be bold with the confidence which I reckon to encounter against certain, reckoning us as walking about according to the flesh. 3For walking in the flesh, we war not after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare not fleshly, but powerful to God to the taking down of fortified places;) 5Taking down reckonings, and every elevation lifted up against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in readiness to avenge every imperfect instruction, when your obedience should be completed.

7See ye things according to the face? If any has persuaded himself to be of Christ, let him reckon this again of himself, that, as he of Christ, so we also of Christ. 8For if I also boast something more abundantly of our power, which the Lord gave us for the building up, and not for your taking down, I shall not be ashamed: 9Lest I seem as terrifying you by epistles. 10(For truly the epistles, he says, weighty and strong; but the presence of the body weak, and the word counted as nothing.) 11Let such a one reckon this, that, such as we are in the word by the epistles, being away, such also, being present, in deed.

12For we dare not appear or join ourselves to certain of them recommending themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and joining themselves to themselves, do not understand. 13And we boast not of things immeasurable, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure divided to us, to reach even also to you. 14For not as reaching to you we stretch beyond ourselves: for also even to you we came before in the good news of Christ: 15Not boasting in things immeasurable, in the toils of others; and having hope, your faith being increased, to be enlarged in you according to our rule for abundance, 16To announce the good hews in things beyond you, not in another's rule to boast for things prepared. 17But he boasting, let him boast in the Lord. 18For not he recommending himself, this is acceptable, but whom the Lord recommends.