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10 Now I myself, Sha’ul, appeal to you gently in Moshiach and in his anavah (humility) I who am peh el peh (panim el panim, face to face) "lowly" among you [1C 2:3] but have "chutzpah" with you when absent. [1C 2:4; 7:8]

Now I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show enough chutzpah to oppose certain persons, [1C 4:21] the ones considering us to act according to the standards of the basar of the Olam Hazeh.

For though walking in basar, we war not according to the basar,

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the basar, [Ep 6:13 17] but full of ko’ach through Hashem to the overthrowing of strongholds, reasonings [Jer 1:10; 23:29]

And every high minded thing rising up against the da’as of Hashem, and leading captive every machshavah (thought) into the mishma’at of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, [Isa 2:11,12]

And prepared to discipline all disobedience whenever your mishma’at (obedience) is completed. [2C 2:9]

You look at things according to outward appearance. If anyone has persuaded himself that he belongs to Moshiach, have zikaron (recollection) of this: as he is of Moshiach, so also are we.

Now even if I should glory a little too much [2C 12:6] in our samchut (authority) [as Shlichim of Moshiach] [2C 13:10] which Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will make good my claim. [Jer1:10]

I did not intend to seem as if my iggrot were meant to frighten you.

10 For they say, "His iggrot indeed are weighty and strong but his physical presence is weak and his shprach (diction), as far as rhetoric is concerned, is despicable."

11 Let such a one consider this: that the dvar we speak through iggrot when absent will become action we will very well do when present! [2C 13:2,10]

12 For we dare not to make a geder (classification) for ourselves or to compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves [2C 3:1; 5:12], but when they measure themselves by the standard of one another or compare themselves with one another, they do not show seichel.

13 But we will not boast out of our depth, but will be shomer to keep within the sadeh (field) Hashem has apportioned to us [Ro 12:3] which reached out even as far as you. [Ga 2:7 8]

14 For we were not getting out of our depth when we reached even as far as you. We were the chalutzim (pioneers) who came with the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

15 We do not boast out of our depth, that is, in the labor of others; but tikvateinu is that, as your emunah grows, our sphere of Shlichus (Divine mission) among you will also be enlarged,

16 So that we may abundantly proclaim the Besuras HaGeulah to the regions beyond you, without boasting in someone else’s Messianic chalutz accomplishments.

17 But HAMMIT HALLELYIT HALLEL; ("The one boasting let him boast" in the L-rd.) [Jer 9:23,24; Ps 34:2; 44:8; 1C 1:13];

18 For it is not the one commending himself that has the haskama (approval), but it is the one to whom [Moshiach] Adoneinu gives the haskama. [1C 4:4 5]

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.(D) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(E) The weapons we fight with(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(G) to demolish strongholds.(H) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(J) to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(K)

You are judging by appearances.[a](L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(N) So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(P) I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(R) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,(T) a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you(U) with the gospel of Christ.(V) 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits(W) by boasting of work done by others.(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel(Z) in the regions beyond you.(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b](AB) 18 For it is not the one who commends himself(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24