10 For they say, "His
letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is weak, and his
speech of no account." 11 Let such people realize that what we are in our
letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
12 For we do not dare 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. 13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but will
confine our boasting to the field God has apportioned to us, a field that
reaches even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we
did not reach to you; we were the first to come even as far as you with the
gospel of Christ. 15 We do not go beyond limits by boasting in other
men's labors, but our hope is that as your faith grows, our sphere among
you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the
regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast of work already done in
another man's territory. 17 But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
18 For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom
the Lord commends.
11
1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but
indeed you are bearing with me. 2 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. 3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent
deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from
your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you
and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or if you receive a
different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the
one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 I think that I am not
in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 But even if I am unskilled in
speech, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to
you in all things.
7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be
exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I
robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve
you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a
burden to anyone, for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied
what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way,
and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this
boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why?
Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 And what I am doing, I will also continue to do, in order to
cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be
considered equal with us in the things of which they boast. 13 For such
men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as
apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as
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