2 Corinthians · Chapter 10
2 Corinthians 10
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Paul’s Apostolic Authority
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 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 flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
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, as soon as your obedience is complete.
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.
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 by my letters.
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 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 show their ignorance.
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 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 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. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.
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.
Source notes
- 10:17 Jeremiah 9:24 Read Jeremiah 9:24
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
Jeremiah 9:24But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth— for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
Psalms 45:4In your splendor ride forth in victory on behalf of truth and humility and justice; may your right hand show your awesome deeds.
Isaiah 42:3A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
Isaiah 42:4He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”
Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Judges 7:13And as Gideon arrived, a man was telling his friend about a dream. “Behold, I had a dream,” he said, “and I saw a loaf of barley bread come tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent so hard that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
Judges 7:14His friend replied: “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has delivered Midian and the whole camp into his hand.”
Judges 7:15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Get up, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”
Judges 7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a ram’s horn in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch.
Judges 7:17“Watch me and do as I do,” Gideon said. “When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do exactly as I do.
Judges 7:18When I and all who are with me blow our horns, then you are also to blow your horns from all around the camp and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’”
Judges 7:19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the changing of the guard. They blew their horns and broke the jars that were in their hands.
Judges 7:20The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”