2 Coríntios 10

ja, jeg beder eder om ikke nærværende at skulle være modig med den Tillidsfuldhed, hvormed jeg agter at træde dristigt op imod nogle, som anse os for at vandre efter Kødet.

Thi om vi end vandre i Kødet, så stride vi dog ikke efter Kødet;

thi vore Stridsvåben er ikke kødelige, men mægtige for Gud til Fæstningers Nedbrydelse,

idet vi nedbryde Tankebygninger og al Højhed, som rejser sig imod Erkendelsen af Gud, og tage enhver Tanke til Fange til Lydighed imod Kristus

og ere rede til at straffe al Ulydighed, når eders Lydighed er bleven fuldkommen.

Se I på det udvortes? Dersom nogen trøster sig til selv at høre Kristus til, da slutte han igen fra sig selv, at ligesom han hører Kristus til, således gøre vi det også.

Ja, dersom jeg endog vilde rose mig noget mere af vor Magt, som Herren gav os til eders Opbyggelse og ikke til eders Nedbrydelse, skal jeg dog ikke blive til Skamme,

for at jeg ikke skal synes at ville skræmme eder ved mine Breve;

thi Brevene, siger man, ere vægtige og stærke, men hans legemlige Nærværelse er svag, og hans Tale intet værd.

En sådan betænke, at således som vi fraværende ere med Ord ved Breve, således ville vi, også nærværende være i Gerning.

Thi vi driste os ikke til at regne os iblandt eller sammenligne os med somme af dem, der anbefale sig selv; men selv indse de ikke, at de måle sig med sig selv og sammenligne sig med sig selv.

Vi derimod ville ikke rose os ud i det umålelige, men efter Målet af den Grænselinie, som Gud har tildelt os som Mål, at nå også til eder.

Thi vi strække os ikke for vidt, som om vi ikke nåede til eder; vi ere jo komne også indtil eder i Kristi Evangelium,

så vi ikke rose os ud i det umålelige af andres Arbejder, men have det Håb, at, når eders Tro vokser, ville vi hos eder blive store, efter vor Grænselinie, så vi kunne komme langt videre

og forkynde Evangeliet i Landene hinsides eder, men ikke rose os inden for en andens Grænselinie af det allerede fuldførte.

Men den, som roser sig, rose sig af Herren!

Thi ikke den, der anbefaler sig selv, står Prøve, men den, hvem Herren anbefaler.

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence {am} base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: {in presence: or, in outward appearance}

But I beseech {you}, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. {think: or, reckon}

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

(For the weapons of our warfare {are} not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) {through God: or, to God}

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; {imaginations: or, reasonings}

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he {is} Christ's, even so {are} we Christ's.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

For {his} letters, say they, {are} weighty and powerful; but {his} bodily presence {is} weak, and {his} speech contemptible. {say they: Gr. saith he}

Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such {will we be} also in deed when we are present.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. {are...: or, understand it not}

But we will not boast of things without {our} measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. {rule: or, line}

For we stretch not ourselves beyond {our measure}, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in {preaching} the gospel of Christ:

Not boasting of things without {our} measure, {that is}, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, {enlarged...: or, magnified in you}

To preach the gospel in the {regions} beyond you, {and} not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. {line: or, rule}

But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.