The weapons of our warfare
Now I, Paul, appeal to you myself, by the gentleness and kindness of Christ — I who am supposed to be humble when I am face to face with you, and bold when I am away. I am asking that when I do come I won't have to be as bold as I reckon I will need to be with certain people, who think we walk according to the flesh. Because although we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war after the flesh. The weapons we fight with aren't worldly weapons. They have power from God to pull down strongholds. We pull down arguments and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. And we are ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your own obedience is complete. You look at things by appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, let him think again: just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. Because even if I boast a bit much about the authority the Lord gave us — for building you up and not for pulling you down — I won't be ashamed of it. I don't want to look as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters. Because they say, His letters are weighty and strong, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking is worth nothing. Let a man like that take note: what we are in word by letter when we are away, we will be in deed when we are there. We wouldn't dare put ourselves in the same class as some who commend themselves. But measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, they aren't wise. We won't boast beyond our measure, but only within the limits of the field God has assigned us — a field that reaches all the way to you. We aren't overstretching ourselves, as though we hadn't reached you. We did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. We don't boast beyond our limits about other men's work. Our hope is that as your faith grows, our own sphere among you will be greatly enlarged, so we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without boasting about work already done in another man's field. But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. Because it isn't the man who commends himself who is approved, but the man the Lord commends.
Now I Paul myself beg you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am low among you, but being away am bold towards you. But I beg you, that I don't have to be bold when I'm there with that confidence I think to be bold against some, who think of us as though we walked according to the flesh. Because though we walk in the flesh, we don't war after the flesh. (Because the weapons of our warfare aren't fleshly but mighty through God to pulling down strongholds.) Pulling down thoughts and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. And having a readiness to pay back all disobedience, when your obedience is filled up. Do you look at things after the outward look? If any man trusts to himself that he's Christ's, let him think this again of himself — that as he's Christ's, that's how we're Christ's too. Because though I boast somewhat more of our authority, that the Lord has given us to build up and not to pull you down, I won't be ashamed. So I don't seem as if I'd frighten you by letters. Because his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful. But his bodily presence is weak, and his speech worth nothing. Let one like that think this — that as we are in word by letters when we're away, that's what we'll be in deed too when we're there. Because we don't dare make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves aren't wise. But we won't boast of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule God has handed to us, a measure to reach right to you. Because we don't stretch ourselves beyond our measure, as though we didn't reach to you. Because we've come as far as to you too in preaching the good news of Christ. Not boasting of things beyond our measure, that is, of other men's labours. But having hope, when your faith grows, that we'll be made large by you according to our rule plentifully. To preach the good news in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. But the one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord. Because the one who commends himself isn't approved, but the one the Lord commends.
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Now I, Paul, appeal to you myself, by the gentleness and kindness of Christ — I who am supposed to be humble when I am face to face with you, and bold when I am away.
Now I Paul myself beg you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am low among you, but being away am bold towards you.
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
I am asking that when I do come I won't have to be as bold as I reckon I will need to be with certain people, who think we walk according to the flesh.
But I beg you, that I don't have to be bold when I'm there with that confidence I think to be bold against some, who think of us as though we walked according to the flesh.
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
Because although we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war after the flesh.
Because though we walk in the flesh, we don't war after the flesh.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
The weapons we fight with aren't worldly weapons. They have power from God to pull down strongholds.
(Because the weapons of our warfare aren't fleshly but mighty through God to pulling down strongholds.)
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
We pull down arguments and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Pulling down thoughts and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And we are ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your own obedience is complete.
And having a readiness to pay back all disobedience, when your obedience is filled up.
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
You look at things by appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, let him think again: just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.
Do you look at things after the outward look? If any man trusts to himself that he's Christ's, let him think this again of himself — that as he's Christ's, that's how we're Christ's too.
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
Because even if I boast a bit much about the authority the Lord gave us — for building you up and not for pulling you down — I won't be ashamed of it.
Because though I boast somewhat more of our authority, that the Lord has given us to build up and not to pull you down, I won't be ashamed.
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
I don't want to look as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
So I don't seem as if I'd frighten you by letters.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
Because they say, His letters are weighty and strong, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking is worth nothing.
Because his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful. But his bodily presence is weak, and his speech worth nothing.
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Let a man like that take note: what we are in word by letter when we are away, we will be in deed when we are there.
Let one like that think this — that as we are in word by letters when we're away, that's what we'll be in deed too when we're there.
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
We wouldn't dare put ourselves in the same class as some who commend themselves. But measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, they aren't wise.
Because we don't dare make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves aren't wise.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
We won't boast beyond our measure, but only within the limits of the field God has assigned us — a field that reaches all the way to you.
But we won't boast of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule God has handed to us, a measure to reach right to you.
But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
We aren't overstretching ourselves, as though we hadn't reached you. We did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ.
Because we don't stretch ourselves beyond our measure, as though we didn't reach to you. Because we've come as far as to you too in preaching the good news of Christ.
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
We don't boast beyond our limits about other men's work. Our hope is that as your faith grows, our own sphere among you will be greatly enlarged,
Not boasting of things beyond our measure, that is, of other men's labours. But having hope, when your faith grows, that we'll be made large by you according to our rule plentifully.
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
so we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without boasting about work already done in another man's field.
To preach the good news in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
But the one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Because it isn't the man who commends himself who is approved, but the man the Lord commends.
Because the one who commends himself isn't approved, but the one the Lord commends.
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.