1 Now I, Paul, am going to present a personal appeal to you in a humble and gracious manner like the Messiah—I who am said to be “meek” when I am there with you in person, but “strong” with you when away. 2 My plea to you is that I won’t have to be strong in my use of authority when I am with you, as I suppose I will have to bring myself to be with certain people who suppose that it is mere human standards according to which we conduct ourselves. 3 Although it is in lowly mortal bodies that we live our lives, you see, it isn’t according to lowly mortal standards that we engage in battle. 4 Indeed, the weapons we bring to battle are not merely human, but divinely powerful for tearing down fortresses; 5 we tear down false suppositions, and every other kind of prideful bulwark raised up against the knowledge of God, and take prisoner every thought to make it obedient to the Messiah, 6 and stand ready to bring strong discipline against anyone who still refuses to obey him, once the obedience of the rest of you has been made complete.

7 It is outward appearances that you are looking at. If someone is convinced in his own mind that he belongs to the Messiah, here is what he needs to remember: Just as he himself belongs to the Messiah, so, too, do we. 8 Indeed, even though I could speak about our authority, which the Lord entrusted to us for the purpose of building you up and not for tearing you down, in far more elevated terms, and that without feeling any shame, 9 I refrain, lest I come off as though I’m trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 “Although Paul’s letters,” it is being said, “are strong and severe, in person he is weak, and his speaking abilities are pathetic.” 11 Let such a person take note of this: Such as we are in the words of our letters when we are away, such we will be, too, when there with you again, in our actions.

12 In regard to these things we would not, of course, ourselves dare to compare or the same category presume to share with some of those other fellows who rate their own credentials so highly! The truth is, they evaluate themselves according to their own standard of measurement, and use themselves as their own standard of comparison, which shows their lack of understanding. 13 We, however, will make no high and exaggerated claims about the extent of our authority, but will keep our claim strictly within the boundaries that God has allotted to us in our work, which reach even as far as you. 14 We are not overstepping our bounds, you see, as would be the case if we had never in fact reached you. Yes, it was even as far as you that we came, prior to those others, with the gospel about the Messiah. 15 We also make no high and exaggerated claims in regard to work done by others, having, instead, hope, that as your faith continues to grow, among you the boundaries of our work will be extended even more, 16 so that we may proclaim the gospel in the regions beyond you, not for the purpose of making exalted claims in regard to things already accomplished within the boundaries of another person’s work. 17 “If someone speaks exaltingly of anything, let it be solely in regard to this: What the LORD has done.”+ 18 It is not the person who affirms his own credibility, you see, who is approved as genuine, but he whom the Lord affirms.