2 Corinthians 10-13

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Paul’s Apostolic Authority

10 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. ² I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.^{[a](A) 3} For though we live in the body,^[b] we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,^{[c] 4} since the weapons of our warfare^(B) are not worldly,^[d] but are powerful^(C) through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge^(D) of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. ⁶ And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.

⁷ Look at what is obvious.^[e] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,^(E) he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. ⁸ For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up^(F) and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. ⁹ I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. ¹⁰ For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” ¹¹ Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.

¹² For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend^(G) themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,^(H) they lack understanding.^{(I) 13} We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned^(J) to us, which reaches even to you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope^(K) that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, ¹⁶ so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you,^(L) not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.^{(M) 17} So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.^{(N)[f] 18} For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.^(O)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness^(P) from me. Yes, do put up with me.^{[g] 2} For I am jealous^(Q) over you with a godly jealousy,^(R) because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure^(S) virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear that, as the serpent^(T) deceived^(U) Eve^(V) by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure^[h] devotion to Christ.^{(W) 4} For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus,^(X) whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit,^(Y) which you had not received, or a different gospel,^(Z) which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

⁵ Now I consider myself in no way inferior to the “super-apostles.”^{(AA) 6} Though untrained in public speaking,^(AB) I am certainly not untrained in knowledge.^(AC) Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything. ⁷ Or did I commit a sin by humbling^(AD) myself so that you might be exalted,^(AE) because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?^{(AF) 8} I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you. ⁹ When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia^(AG) supplied my needs.^(AH) I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way. ¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped^[i] in the regions of Achaia.^{(AI) 11} Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!

¹² But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny^[j] the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as our equals in what they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(AJ) deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their destiny^[k] will be according to their works.^(AK)

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

¹⁶ I repeat: No one should consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I say in this matter^[l] of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly. ¹⁸ Since many boast in an unspiritual way,^[m] I will also boast. ¹⁹ For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!^{(AL) 20} In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours^(AM) you, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hits^(AN) you in the face. ²¹ I say this to our shame: We have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:

²⁸ Not to mention^[p] other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,^(AX) and I do not burn with indignation? ³⁰ If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses. ³¹ The God and Father^(AY) of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows I am not lying. ³² In Damascus,^(AZ) the governor under King Aretas^[q] guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me, ³³ so I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.^(BA)

Sufficient Grace

12 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions^(BB) and revelations^(BC) of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who was caught up^(BD) into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows. ³ I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows— ⁴ was caught up into paradise.^(BE) He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. ⁵ I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. ⁶ For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth.^(BF) But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷ especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh^(BG) was given to me, a messenger^[r] of Satan^(BH) to torment me so I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. ⁹ But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power^[s](BI) is perfected in weakness.”^(BJ) Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ.^(BK) For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(BL)

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹ I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.^{(BM) 12} The signs^(BN) of an apostle^(BO) were performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders^(BP) and miracles.^{(BQ) 13} So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹⁴ Now I am ready to come to you this third time.^(BR) I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵ I will most gladly spend and be spent for you.^[t](BS) If I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ Now granted, I have not burdened^(BT) you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!^{(BU) 17} Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus^(BV) to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit^(BW) and in the same footsteps?

¹⁹ You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you.^[u] No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.^{(BX) 20} For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want;^[v] there may be quarreling,^(BY) jealousy,^(BZ) outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,^(CA) slander,^(CB) gossip, arrogance, and disorder.^{(CC) 21} I fear that when I come my God will again^[w] humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented^(CD) of the moral impurity, sexual immorality,^(CE) and promiscuity^(CF) they practiced.

Final Warnings and Exhortations

13 This is the third time I am coming to you.^(CG) Every fact must be established by the testimony^[x] of two or three witnesses.^{(CH)[y] 2} I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning^(CI) while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient, ³ since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me.^(CJ) He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you. ⁴ In fact, He was crucified^(CK) in weakness, but He lives^(CL) by God’s power. For we also are weak in Him,^(CM) yet toward you we will live^(CN) with Him by God’s power.

⁵ Test^(CO) yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test.^{[z] 6} And I hope you will recognize that we do not fail the test. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong—not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right,^(CP) even though we may appear to fail. ⁸ For we are not able to do anything against the truth,^(CQ) but only for the truth. ⁹ In fact, we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong.^(CR) We also pray that you become fully mature.^{[aa] 10} This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up^(CS) and not for tearing down.^(CT)

¹¹ Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind,^(CU) be at peace,^(CV) and the God of love^(CW) and peace will be with you. ¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss.^(CX) All the saints greet you.

¹³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love^(CY) of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.^[ab](CZ)