Paul’s Apostolic Authority

1  Αὐτὸς (Myself) δὲ (now) ἐγὼ (I) Παῦλος (Paul) παρακαλῶ (exhort) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) διὰ (by) τῆς (the) πραΰτητος (mildness) καὶ (and) ἐπιεικείας (gentleness) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ), ὃς (I who) κατὰ (as to) πρόσωπον (presence) μὲν (indeed) ταπεινὸς (am humble) ἐν (among) ὑμῖν (you⁺), ἀπὼν (being absent) δὲ (however) θαρρῶ (am bold) εἰς (toward) ὑμᾶς (you⁺)· 2  δέομαι (I implore you) δὲ (now) τὸ (that) μὴ (I need not) παρὼν (being present) θαρρῆσαι (to be bold) τῇ (with the) πεποιθήσει (confidence) ᾗ (with which) λογίζομαι (I reckon) τολμῆσαι (to be daring) ἐπί (toward) τινας (some) τοὺς (-) λογιζομένους (reckoning) ἡμᾶς (us) ὡς (as) κατὰ (according to) σάρκα (the flesh) περιπατοῦντας (walking).

3  Ἐν (In) σαρκὶ (flesh) γὰρ (for) περιπατοῦντες (walking) οὐ (not) κατὰ (according to) σάρκα (the flesh) στρατευόμεθα (we wage war), 4  τὰ (The) γὰρ (for) ὅπλα (weapons) τῆς (of the) στρατείας (warfare) ἡμῶν (of us) οὐ (are not) σαρκικὰ (fleshly) ἀλλὰ (but) δυνατὰ (powerful) τῷ (before) Θεῷ (God) πρὸς (toward) καθαίρεσιν (the tearing down) ὀχυρωμάτων (of strongholds), 5  λογισμοὺς (arguments) καθαιροῦντες (tearing down) καὶ (and) πᾶν (every) ὕψωμα (high thing) ἐπαιρόμενον (lifting itself up) κατὰ (against) τῆς (the) γνώσεως (knowledge) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God), καὶ (and) αἰχμαλωτίζοντες (taking captive) πᾶν (every) νόημα (thought) εἰς (into) τὴν (the) ὑπακοὴν (obedience) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ), 6  καὶ (and) ἐν (within) ἑτοίμῳ (readiness) ἔχοντες (having) ἐκδικῆσαι (to avenge) πᾶσαν (all) παρακοήν (disobedience), ὅταν (when) πληρωθῇ (shall have been fulfilled) ὑμῶν (your⁺) ἡ (-) ὑπακοή (obedience).

7  Τὰ (Things) κατὰ (according to) πρόσωπον (appearance) βλέπετε (you⁺ are looking at). εἴ (If) τις (anyone) πέποιθεν (has been persuaded) ἑαυτῷ (in himself) Χριστοῦ (of Christ) εἶναι (to be), τοῦτο (this) λογιζέσθω (let him reckon) πάλιν (again) ἐφ’ (upon) ἑαυτοῦ (himself), ὅτι (that) καθὼς (as) αὐτὸς (he) Χριστοῦ (is of Christ), οὕτως (so) καὶ (also are) ἡμεῖς (we). 8  ἐάν (If) τε (even) γὰρ (for) περισσότερόν (more abundantly) τι (somewhat) καυχήσωμαι (I should boast) περὶ (concerning) τῆς (the) ἐξουσίας (authority) ἡμῶν (of us), ἧς (which) ἔδωκεν (gave us) ὁ (the) Κύριος (Lord) εἰς (for) οἰκοδομὴν (building up) καὶ (and) οὐκ (not) εἰς (for) καθαίρεσιν (tearing down) ὑμῶν (you⁺), οὐκ (not) αἰσχυνθήσομαι (I will be ashamed), 9  ἵνα (so that) μὴ (not) δόξω (I might seem) ὡς (as if) ἂν (-) ἐκφοβεῖν (to frighten) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) διὰ (through) τῶν (the) ἐπιστολῶν (letters). 10  Ὅτι (For) Αἱ (the) ἐπιστολαὶ (letters) μέν (indeed), φησίν (they say), Βαρεῖαι (are weighty) καὶ (and) ἰσχυραί (strong), ἡ (-) δὲ (but) παρουσία (the presence) τοῦ (of the) σώματος (body) ἀσθενὴς (is weak) καὶ (and) ὁ (the) λόγος (word) ἐξουθενημένος (is of no account). 11  τοῦτο (This) λογιζέσθω (let reckon) ὁ (-) τοιοῦτος (such a one), ὅτι (that) οἷοί (such as) ἐσμεν (we are) τῷ (-) λόγῳ (in word) δι’ (through) ἐπιστολῶν (letters) ἀπόντες (being absent), τοιοῦτοι (such we are) καὶ (also) παρόντες (being present) τῷ (-) ἔργῳ (in deed).

12  Οὐ (Not) γὰρ (for) τολμῶμεν (we dare) ἐνκρῖναι (to classify) ἢ (or) συνκρῖναι (to compare) ἑαυτούς (ourselves with) τισιν (some) τῶν (-) ἑαυτοὺς (themselves) συνιστανόντων (commending)· ἀλλὰ (but) αὐτοὶ (these) ἐν (by) ἑαυτοῖς (themselves) ἑαυτοὺς (themselves) μετροῦντες (measuring) καὶ (and) συνκρίνοντες (comparing) ἑαυτοὺς (themselves) ἑαυτοῖς (with themselves) οὐ (not) συνιᾶσιν (understand). 13  ἡμεῖς (We) δὲ (however) οὐκ (not) εἰς (unto) τὰ (the things) ἄμετρα (without measure) καυχησόμεθα (will boast), ἀλλὰ (but) κατὰ (according to) τὸ (the) μέτρον (measure) τοῦ (of the) κανόνος (area) οὗ (that) ἐμέρισεν (apportioned) ἡμῖν (to us) ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) μέτρου (a measure), ἐφικέσθαι (to reach) ἄχρι (as far as) καὶ (even) ὑμῶν (you⁺). 14  οὐ (Not) γὰρ (for) ὡς (as) μὴ (not) ἐφικνούμενοι (reaching) εἰς (to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) ὑπερεκτείνομεν (we are overextending) ἑαυτούς (ourselves), ἄχρι (as far as) γὰρ (for) καὶ (also) ὑμῶν (you⁺) ἐφθάσαμεν (we came) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) εὐαγγελίῳ (gospel) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ)· 15  οὐκ (not) εἰς (unto) τὰ (the things) ἄμετρα (without measure) καυχώμενοι (boasting) ἐν (in) ἀλλοτρίοις (others’) κόποις (labors), ἐλπίδα (hope) δὲ (however) ἔχοντες (having) αὐξανομένης (increasing) τῆς (the) πίστεως (faith) ὑμῶν (of you⁺) ἐν (among) ὑμῖν (you⁺) μεγαλυνθῆναι (to be enlarged) κατὰ (according to) τὸν (the) κανόνα (area) ἡμῶν (of us) εἰς (to) περισσείαν (abundance), 16  εἰς (so as) τὰ (in the places) ὑπερέκεινα (beyond) ὑμῶν (you⁺) εὐαγγελίσασθαι (to preach the gospel), οὐκ (not) ἐν (in) ἀλλοτρίῳ (another’s) κανόνι (area) εἰς (in) τὰ (the things) ἕτοιμα (ready) καυχήσασθαι (to boast).

17  Ὁ (The one) δὲ (however) καυχώμενος (boasting) ἐν (in) Κυρίῳ (the Lord) καυχάσθω (let him boast)· 18  οὐ (Not) γὰρ (for) ὁ (the one) ἑαυτὸν (himself) συνιστάνων (commending), ἐκεῖνός (that one) ἐστιν (is) δόκιμος (approved), ἀλλὰ (but) ὃν (the one whom) ὁ (the) Κύριος (Lord) συνίστησιν (commends).