1 But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, {when present} {am} mean among you, but absent am bold towards you;2 but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh.3 For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.4 For the arms of our warfare {are} not fleshly, but powerful according to God to {the} overthrow of strongholds;5 overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ;6 and having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.7 Do ye look at what concerns appearance? If any one has confidence in himself that he is of Christ, let him think this again in himself, that even as he {is} of Christ, so also {are} we.8 For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given {to us} for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame;9 that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:10 because his letters, he says, {are} weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters {when} absent, such also present in deed.12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.13 Now *we* will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also.14 For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings of the Christ;)15 not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly16 to announce the glad tidings to that {which is} beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.17 But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.18 For not *he* that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

1 En ek self, Paulus, bid julle by die sagmoedigheid en vriendelikheid van Christus, ek wat in julle teenwoordigheid wel nederig is onder julle, maar in my afwesigheid moedig teenoor julle --2 ek smeek dan dat as ek teenwoordig is, ek nie moedig hoef te wees met die vertroue waarmee ek meen om dit aan te durf teen sommige wat reken dat ons volgens die vlees wandel nie.3 Want hoewel ons in die vlees wandel, voer ons die stryd nie volgens die vlees nie;4 want die wapens van ons stryd is nie vleeslik nie, maar kragtig deur God om vestings neer te werp,5 terwyl ons planne verbreek en elke skans wat opgewerp word teen die kennis van God, en elke gedagte gevange neem tot die gehoorsaamheid aan Christus,6 en ons gereed hou om elke ongehoorsaamheid te straf wanneer julle gehoorsaamheid volkome is.7 Kyk julle na wat voor oë is? As iemand by homself vertrou dat hy aan Christus behoort, laat hy dit by homself weer oorweeg, dat net soos hy self aan Christus behoort, ons ook so aan Christus behoort;8 want al sou ek ook nog meer roem oor ons gesag wat die Here ons gegee het om julle op te bou en nie neer te werp nie, sal ek nie beskaamd uitkom nie --9 anders sou dit die skyn hê asof ek julle deur die briewe wil bang maak.10 Want die briewe, sê hulle, is wel gewigtig en kragtig, maar die persoonlike teenwoordigheid is swak en die woord niks werd nie.11 Laat so iemand bedink dat soos ons met die woord deur briewe in ons afwesigheid is, ons dit ook met die daad in ons aanwesigheid is.12 Want ons waag dit nie om ons te reken of te vergelyk met sommige van die wat hulleself aanbeveel nie. Maar omdat hulle hul met hulself meet en met hulself vergelyk, is hulle onverstandig.13 Maar ons sal nie buite die maat roem nie, maar volgens die maat van die werkkring wat God ons as 'n maat toebedeel het om ook julle te bereik.14 Want ons strek onsself nie te ver uit asof ons julle nie kan bereik nie, want ons het reeds by julle gekom met die evangelie van Christus.15 Ons roem nie buite die maat in die arbeid van ander nie, maar ons het hoop om, wanneer julle geloof toeneem, in hoër mate onder julle toe te neem volgens ons werkkring,16 om die evangelie te verkondig in plekke anderkant julle, nie om in die werkkring van 'n ander oor wat tot stand gekom het, te roem nie.17 Maar wie roem, moet in die Here roem.18 Want nie hy wat homself aanbeveel, die is beproef nie, maar hy wat deur die Here aanbeveel word.