rd

2 Corinthians 10

He toucheth the false apostles and defendeth his authority, exhorting them to obedience, 11 And sheweth what his power is, 13 And how he useth it.
1.Now I Paul my self beseech you by the meekness, and gentleness of Christ, which when I am present among you, am abase, but am bold toward you being absent:
2.And this I require of you, that I need not to be bold when I am present, with that same confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which esteem us as though we walked baccording to the flesh.
3.Nevertheless, though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the flesh.
4.(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to cast down holds)
5.Casting down the imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,
6.And having ready the vengeance against all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7.Look ye on things after the appearance? If any man trust in him self that he is Christs, let him consider this again of him self, that as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8.For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should have no shame.
9.This I say that I may not seem as it were to fear you with letters.
10.For the letters, csaith he, are sore and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no value.
11.Let such one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed, when we are present.
12.For we dare not make our selves of the number, or to compare our selves to them, which praise them selves: but they understand not that they dmeasure them selves with them selves, and compare them selves with them selves.
13.But we will not rejoice of things, which are not within our measure, *but according to the emeasure of the line, whereof God hath distributed unto us a measure to attain even unto you.
14.For we stretch not our selves beyond our measure, as though we had not attained unto you: for even to you also have we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ,
15.Not boasting of things which are without our measure: that is, of other men’s labours: & we hope, when your faith shall increase, to be magnified by you according to our line abundantly,
16.And to preach the Gospel in those regions which are beyond you: not to rejoice in fanother man’s line, that is in the things that are prepared already.
17.*But let him the rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord.
18.For he that praiseth him self, is not allowed, but he whom the Lord praiseth.

Notes

1-a.
These words his backbiters used, thinking thereby to diminish his authority, as verse 10.
2-b.
As though we boasted of ourselves by a carnal affection.
10-c.
Meaning, a certain man among them, which thus spoke of Paul.
12-d.
He that measures any thing, must have some line or measure to mette by, and not to measure a thing by it self: so these boasters must measure them selves by their worthy acts: and if they will compare with others, let them show what countries, what cities, and people they have won to the Lord: for who will praise that soldier, which only at the table can finely talk of wars, and when he comes, to the brunt, is neither valiant nor expert?
13-*.
Eph. 4.7.
13-e.
That is, the gifts and vocation, which God had given him to win others by.
16-f.
God gave the whole world to the Apostles to preach in, so that Paul here means by the line his portion of the countries where he preached.
17-*.
Jer. 9.24, 1 Cor. 1.31.