2 Corinthians 10:12-18

Expanded Bible

¹² [^LFor] We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with those who ·think they are very important [commend/promote themselves; 3:1]. They use themselves to measure themselves, and they judge themselves by what they themselves are. ·This shows that they know nothing [or What ignorance!; or What fools!]. ¹³ But we will not ·brag [boast] ·about things outside the work that was given us to do [^Lbeyond the limits]. We will limit our ·bragging [boasting] to the ·work [sphere of ministry] that God gave us, ·and this includes our work with you [^Lwhich reaches even to you]. ¹⁴ [^LFor] We are not ·bragging too much [or going beyond our commission; ^Loverreaching/overextending ourselves], as we would be if we had not already come to you. But we have come to you with the Good News of Christ [^CPaul’s opponents claimed the Corinthians were their sphere of ministry; Paul counters that he first brought the Gospel to Corinth (Acts 18)]. ¹⁵ We limit our ·bragging [boasting] to the work that is ours, not what others have done. We hope that as your faith continues to grow, ·the scope of our work among you will greatly increase [or our work among you will greatly increase within the sphere/limits God has given us]. ¹⁶ ·We want to [^L…so that we may] ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] in the areas beyond ·your city [^Lyou]. We do not want to ·brag [boast] about work that has already been done in another person’s area. ¹⁷ But, “·If people want to brag, they should brag only [^LLet the one who boasts, boast] about the Lord [Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:31].” ¹⁸ [^LFor] It is not those who ·say they are good [^Lcommend/promote themselves; v. 12] who are ·accepted [approved] but those the Lord ·thinks are good [commends].