1 Now I myself, Paul, urge you through the gentleness and clemency of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but brave toward you when absent,
2 I beg you that, when present, I may not have to be brave with that confidence with which I intend to act boldly against some who consider us as acting according to the flesh.
3 For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments
5 and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish every disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
7 Look at what confronts you. Whoever is confident of belonging to Christ should consider that as he belongs to Christ, so do we.
8 And even if I should boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall not be put to shame.
9 May I not seem as one frightening you through letters.
10 For someone will say, "His letters are severe and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
11 Such a person must understand that what we are in word through letters when absent, that we also are in action when present.
12 Not that we dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
13 But we will not boast beyond measure but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, namely, to reach even to you.
14 For we are not overreaching ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we indeed first came to you with the gospel of Christ.
15 We are not boasting beyond measure, in other people's labors; yet our hope is that, as your faith increases, our influence among you may be greatly enlarged, within our proper limits,
16 so that we may preach the gospel even beyond you, not boasting of work already done in another's sphere.
17 "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."
18 For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord recommends.
Versículos relacionados com 2 Corinthians, 10:
Chapter 10 of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians is dedicated to defending the apostle against those who accuse him of being weak and not having authority as leader of the church. Paul begins by explaining that although he is a human leader, his authority comes from God and that he is not fighting human weapons, but with divine help. He then continues to argue that his criticism is not personal, but for the good of the Church and for the glory of God. Here are five verses related to the topics addressed in 2 Corinthians 10:
Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities and the powers, against the dominators of this dark world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly regions." This verse emphasizes the idea that Paul's struggle is not against human beings, but against the spiritual forces of evil.
Colossians 2:10: "And you are perfect in Him, which is the head of every principality and power." This verse points out that Paul's authority comes from Jesus Christ, which is the head of all authorities.
1 Corinthians 4:3-4: "However, it is very little to me to be judged by you or by a human court, nor do I judge myself. For I feel guilty, yet I consider myself justified, but I consider myself justified , for who judges me is the Lord. " This verse shows that Paul does not care about human opinion, but on the opinion of God, which really has the authority to judge him.
2 Corinthians 13:10: "Therefore I write these things being absent, so that when present, it does not use rigor, according to the authority that the Lord has given me for edification, and not for destruction." Here Paul again emphasizes that his authority comes from God and is used to build the church.
1 Peter 5:5: "Similarly you, the youngest, thirst subject to the elders. And girds you all with humility to each other, because God resists the superb, but gives grace to the humble." This verse highlights the importance of humility regarding leadership and suggests that the kind of leadership Paul is defending is a humble leadership and subject to God.
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