Paul Defends His Ministry

2 Corinthians 10

1 i I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the j meekness and gentleness of Christ - I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away! - 2 I beg of you k that when I am present I may not have to show l boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the m weapons of n our warfare are not of the flesh but have o divine power p to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and q every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to r obey Christ, 6 s being ready to punish every disobedience, t when your obedience is complete.

7 u Look at what is before your eyes. v If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as w he is Christ's, x so also are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of y our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. 9 I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. 10 For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but z his bodily presence is weak, and a his speech of no account." 11 Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we dare to classify or b compare ourselves with some of those who c are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are d without understanding.

13 But we will not boast e beyond limits, but will f boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, g to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. h For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that i as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be j greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. 17 "Let k the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 18 For it is l not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one m whom the Lord commends.

  1. Cross References
    Romans 12:1
    I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
  2. Cross References
    Zechariah 9:9
    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
    Matthew 11:29
    Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
    Philippians 2:7 - 8
    But made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
  3. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 13:2
    I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them -
    2 Corinthians 13:10
    For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
    1 Corinthians 4:18
    Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.
    1 Corinthians 4:21
    What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
  4. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 10:6
    Being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
  5. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 6:7
    By truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left.
    Ephesians 6:11
    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
    1 Thessalonians 5:8
    But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
  6. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 9:7
    Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
  7. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 13:3 - 4
    Since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
    1 Corinthians 2:5
    That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
  8. Cross References
    Jeremiah 1:10
    See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.
  9. Cross References
    Isaiah 2:11 - 12
    The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
  10. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 9:13
    By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others.
    Romans 5:19
    For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
  11. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 10:2
    I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.
  12. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 2:9
    For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.
    2 Corinthians 7:15
    And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
  13. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 5:12
    We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
    John 7:24
    Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.
  14. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:12
    What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ.
    1 Corinthians 14:37
    If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
    1 John 4:6
    We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
  15. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 3:23
    And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
  16. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 11:23
    Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one - I am talking like a madman - with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
    1 Corinthians 9:1
    Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
    Galatians 1:12
    For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
  17. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 13:10
    For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
  18. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 11:21
    To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast of - I am speaking as a fool - I also dare to boast of that.
    2 Corinthians 12:7
    So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
  19. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:17
    For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
  20. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 2:13
    And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
  21. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 10:18
    For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
    2 Corinthians 3:1
    Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?
    2 Corinthians 12:6
    Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
    Proverbs 27:2
    Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
  22. Cross References
    Proverbs 26:12
    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
  23. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 10:15
    We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged.
  24. Cross References
    Romans 12:3
    For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
  25. Cross References
    Romans 15:20
    And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation.
  26. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 3:5
    What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.
    1 Corinthians 4:15
    For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
    1 Corinthians 9:1
    Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
  27. Cross References
    2 Thessalonians 1:3
    We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
  28. Cross References
    Acts 5:13
    None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
  29. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:31
    So that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
    Jeremiah 9:23 - 24
    Thus says the Lord : "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.
  30. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 10:12
    Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
  31. Cross References
    Romans 2:29
    But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
    1 Corinthians 4:5
    Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Next Book Next Book