2Co 10:2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

2Co 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

2Co 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

2Co 10:6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

2Co 10:7 You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

2Co 10:8 For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame,

2Co 10:9 for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

2Co 10:10 For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."

2Co 10:11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

2Co 10:12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

2Co 10:13 But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.

2Co 10:14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;

2Co 10:15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,

2Co 10:16 so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

2Co 10:17 But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.

2Co 10:18 For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

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2Co 11:1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

2Co 11:4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

2Co 11:5 For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.

2Co 11:6 But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

2Co 11:7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

2Co 11:8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;

2Co 11:9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.

2Co 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

2Co 11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

2Co 11:12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

2Co 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

2Co 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2Co 11:15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

2Co 11:16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.

2Co 11:17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

2Co 11:18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.

2Co 11:19 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.

2Co 11:20 For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.

2Co 11:21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else is bold--I speak in foolishness--I am just as bold myself.

2Co 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

2Co 11:23 Are they servants of Christ?--I speak as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

2Co 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.

2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

2Co 11:26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;

2Co 11:27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

2Co 11:28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.

2Co 11:29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

2Co 11:30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.

2Co 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

2Co 11:32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,

2Co 11:33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

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2Co 12:1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2Co 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

2Co 12:3 And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows--

2Co 12:4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

2Co 12:5 On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.

2Co 12:6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

2Co 12:7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!

2Co 12:8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

2Co 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2Co 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2Co 12:11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.

2Co 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

2Co 12:13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

2Co 12:14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

2Co 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

2Co 12:16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

2Co 12:17 Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?

2Co 12:18 I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?

2Co 12:19 All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

2Co 12:20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;

2Co 12:21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.

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2Co 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.

2Co 13:2 I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone,

2Co 13:3 since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

2Co 13:4 For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.

2Co 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

2Co 13:6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

2Co 13:7 Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.

2Co 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.

2Co 13:9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.

2Co 13:10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

2Co 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

2Co 13:13 All the saints greet you.

2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.