¹⁸ Since ^(A)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.

²⁴ for

³ For ^(A)we are the circumcision, ^(B)who worship ^(C)by the Spirit of God^[a] and ^(D)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (E)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11 (A)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(B)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(C)even though I am nothing.

⁹ But he said to me, ^(A)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(B)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(C)the power of Christ may rest upon me.

⁵ On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^(A)except of my weaknesses— ⁶ though if I should wish to boast, ^(B)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

²¹ To my shame, I must say, ^(A)we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. ²² Are they Hebrews? ^(B)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³ Are they ^(C)servants of Christ? ^(D)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(E)far more imprisonments, ^(F)with countless beatings, and ^(G)often near death.

¹² And what I am doing I will continue to do, ^(A)in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

¹² Not that we dare to classify or ^(A)compare ourselves with some of those who ^(B)are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are ^(C)without understanding.

¹³ But we will not boast ^(D)beyond limits, but will ^(E)boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, ^(F)to reach even to you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. ^(G)For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that ^(H)as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be ^(I)greatly enlarged, ¹⁶ so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. ¹⁷ “Let ^(J)the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ¹⁸ For it is ^(K)not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one ^(L)whom the Lord commends.