1Now, I, Paul, myself entreat you through the meekness (mildness, gentle strength) and reasonableness (gentleness, considerateness, equitable, fairness) of Christ, who in presence am lowly (humble) among you, however being absent am bold (of good courage) unto you. 2I implore you that, being present, I may not be bold with the confidence with which I reckon to be daring (of bold courage) upon some reckoning us as walking according to the flesh. 3For walking in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but rather powerful to God towards the demolition (pulling/taking down, destroying) of strongholds (fortifications). 5Deposing reasonings and every barrier (height, lofty, that which is lifted up) lifting up against the knowledge of God and taking (leading) captive every thought (mental effort, design) unto the compliance of Christ, 6And having in readiness to avenge (give justice over) all non-compliance, when your compliance may be fulfilled.

7Are you looking at things according to appearance? If anyone is persuaded in himself to be of Christ, let him reckon this again upon himself that just as he is of Christ so also are we. 8For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly about our authority, which the Lord has given us unto building you up and not unto taking you down, I will not be ashamed, 9So that I might not seem as if to frighten you through the letters. 10For they say, because the letters are weighty and strong, but the presence of the body is weak and the speech despised as nothing. 11Let such a one reckon this, that, such as we are in word through letters, being absent, we are such also in deed, being present.

12For we dare not classify or compare ourselves with some commending themselves, but rather these measuring themselves in themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand (synthesize, put together). 13However we will not boast unto the things immeasurable, but rather according to the measure of the standard (measuring standard, rule) that the God of measure has distributed to us to reach as far as you. 14For we are not overextending ourselves as reaching unto you: for we came as far as you in the gospel of Christ. 15We do not boast unto the things immeasurable in others’ labors and having hope, increasing your faith, to be enlarged in you according to our standard unto abundance, [having hope that as your faith increases that our standard among you may be abundantly enlarged], 16To preach the gospel unto that beyond you, to not boast in another’s standard unto things prepared. 17The one boasting, let him boast in the Lord. 18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but rather he whom the Lord commends.