Paul Defends His Father-Given Authority
His critics say his letters are forceful but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking counts for nothing. Paul answers that his weapons are not human ones, refuses the rivals' game of measuring themselves by themselves, and stays inside the sphere our Father assigned him.
10 1I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble face to face with you, but bold toward you when away. 2I beg that when present I won't need to be bold—with the confidence I plan to use against those who think we live by human standards. 3For though we live in the body, we do not wage war by human standards. 4For our weapons of war are not merely human but powerful through our Father to demolish strongholds. 5We tear down arguments and every proud thing raised against the knowledge of our Father, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. 6And we are ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
7You look at things by appearance. If anyone is sure he belongs to Christ, let him consider this again: as he belongs to Christ, so do we. 8For even if I boast a little too much about the authority the Lord gave us—to build you up, not tear you down—I won't be ashamed. 9I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For they say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he's weak and his speaking counts for nothing." 11Such a person should realize: what we say by letter when absent, we will do when present.
12We dare not classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. Measuring themselves by themselves, comparing themselves with themselves, they show no understanding. 13But we won't boast beyond limits, only within the measure of the sphere our Father assigned us—a measure reaching even to you. 14We aren't overreaching, as if we had not reached you, for we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15We don't boast beyond limit in others' labors, but hope that as your faith grows, our sphere among you will expand greatly, 16so we can preach the gospel in regions beyond you, without boasting in work already done in someone else's territory. 17But "let the one who boasts, boast in our Father." a a v17 Paul is quoting the prophet Jeremiah, where the One to boast in is the covenant God who calls himself Father — so true boasting rests not in ourselves but in him. 18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one our Father commends.
