Paul’s Apostolic Authority

Paul appeals by the meekness and gentleness of Christ and asks that he not need to be severe when present with those who think he lives according to the flesh. Though he lives in the flesh, he says, his warfare is not fleshly: its weapons are divinely powerful to tear down strongholds, overthrow proud arguments, and bring thoughts into obedience, with judgment ready once Corinth's own obedience is complete.

N¹ow by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you — I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away. ²I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh. ³For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. ⁴The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

Paul then addresses those who judge by outward appearance, reminding them that he belongs to Christ no less than they do. Even if he speaks strongly about the authority the Lord gave him, that authority is for building up, not frightening or destroying, and those who dismiss him as weighty only in letters should understand that his actions will match his words when present.

⁷You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does. ⁸For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed. ⁹I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters. ¹⁰For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.” ¹¹Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.

Paul refuses to rank himself by the standards of people who commend themselves through self-comparison, calling that whole practice empty. Instead he keeps his boasting within the limits of the field God assigned him, a field that does reach Corinth and, he hopes, regions beyond. So the only fitting boast is in the Lord, because approval comes not from self-praise but from the Lord's commendation.

¹²We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance. ¹³We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us — a field that reaches even to you. ¹⁴We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well, ¹⁶so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory. ¹⁷Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” ¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.