2 Corinthians Chapter 10

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

¹ Now I urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when around, but bold when away! ² I pray that when I am present, I won’t be as bold as I reckon I could confidently be against some who claim that we live according to the flesh. ³ We do live in the flesh, but we don’t fight according to the flesh. ⁴ Our weapons aren’t physical; they’re powerful in front of God for destroying strongholds. With them we destroy speculations ⁵ and every stronghold that rises up against knowing God. We make every thought captive to obeying Christ. ⁶ We stand ready to punish every disobedience whenever your obedience is complete.                                                          

2 Cor 10:1-6

⁷ You look at the outward appearance of things. If anybody thinks they belong to Christ, they need to think about this again: as they belong to Christ, so do we. ⁸ Even if I’m too proud of our authority—which the Lord gave us for building you up, not for tearing you down—I won’t let you disregard me. ⁹ I wouldn’t want to scare you with my letters! ¹⁰ “His letters,” they say, “are heavy and strong; but his physical presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible.” ¹¹ They need to realize that what we are in word by letters when absent, we can be in deed when present.         

2 Cor 10:7-11

¹² We don’t take it on ourselves to group ourselves and compare ourselves with people that put themselves forward. They measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves; that doesn’t make sense. ¹³ We aren’t going to take credit for more than we should, only in the area God appointed to us—to go as far as where you are. ¹⁴ We’re not engaging in overreach; our work in the good news about Christ was the first to go as far as where you live. ¹⁵ We don’t take credit for other men’s labors. But, we hope that you’ll hold us in increasingly higher regard in our area of service, ¹⁶ so we can preach the good news in places beyond you instead of bragging about what’s been accomplished in somebody else’s area of service. ¹⁷ “The one that boasts should boast in the LORD” [Jer 9:24]. ¹⁸ It’s not who commends himself that’s approved, but who the LORD commends.                                                                                                                     

2 Cor 10:12-18