10:1 I, Paul, encourage you through the gentleness and mercy of the Anointed. I am humble in person, but even when I am not with you I have confidence in you.

10:2 But when I am there with you, I plead with you not to make me display the confident courage I use when I must stand against those who gauge us according to the flesh.

10:3 For although we are in the flesh we do not conduct warfare in the flesh.

10:4 Our weapons of war are not fleshly but have the power of God to pull down strongholds,

10:5 schemes, and everything that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every scheme captive into compliance with the Anointed.

10:6 We always stand ready to avenge every lapse of attention, once your compliance is complete.

10:7 You are only looking on the surface. Anyone who is self-assured as belonging to the Anointed must consider this: if they belong to the Anointed, then so do we.

10:8 In fact, if I were to brag about all the authority the Master gave us (for building you up, not pulling you down), I can assure you that I would not be put to shame,

10:9 because my letters would be much more terrifying than they already are!

10:10 One of you says, “His letters are weighty and strong, but in person he is weak and a poor speaker.”

10:11 Let that person consider the fact that we are quite capable of being the same in person as we are in writing!

10:12 We wouldn’t dare to think we are in the same class as these people! But when they use themselves as their own standard, it shows they know nothing at all.

10:13 Now we will keep our bragging within reason, according to the limits God gave out to us— and you are within those limits.

10:14 No, we’re not out of bounds with you, because we were the first to reach you with the Gospel;

10:15 we are not taking credit for someone else’s work. Yet we hope that your faith will mature and be greatly expanded,

10:16 so that our range will extend beyond you— but not over the work someone else has prepared.

10:17 Now whoever brags must brag only about the Master.

10:18 It is the one the Master commends who is qualified, not those who commend themselves.