Paul’s Apostolic Authority

1I Paul my selfe beseche you by the mekenesse & gentlenesse of Christ, whiche when I am present among you, am lowlye: but am bolde towarde you beyng absent. 2I beseche you, that I neede not to be bolde when I am present, with that same boldnesse, wherwith I am supposed to haue ben bolde, agaynst some, which repute vs as though we walked accordyng to the fleshe. 3For though we walke in the fleshe, yet we do not warre according to ye flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but myghtie through God, to cast downe strong holdes, 5Wherwith we ouerthrowe counsels, and euery hye thyng, that is exalted agaynst the knowledge of God, & bryng into captiuitie all imagination, to the obedience of Christe, 6And are readie to take vengeaunce on all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfylled.

7Loke ye on thynges after the vtter appearaunce? If any man trust in hym selfe that he is Christes, let hym consider this agayne of hym selfe, that as he is of Christe, euen so are we of Christe. 8For though I shoulde boast my selfe somwhat more of our auctoritie, which the Lorde hath geuen to vs for edification, and not for your destruction, it shal not be to my shame: 9Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters. 10For the letters sayth he, are sore and strong: but his bodyly presence is weake, and his speache rude. 11Let hym that is such, thynke on this wise: that as we are in worde by letters, when we are absent, such are we in deede when we are present.

12For we dare not make our selues of the number of them, or to compare our selues to them which praise themselues. Neuerthelesse, whyle they measure them selues, with them selues, and compare them selues with them selues, they vnderstande not. 13But we wyll not reioyce aboue measure: but accordyng to the measure of the rule, which God hath distributed vnto vs, a measure to reache euen vnto you. 14For we stretch not out our selues beyonde measure, as though we reached not vnto you: For euen to you also haue we come with the Gospell of Christe: 15And we boast not our selues out of measure in other mens labours: Yea, and we hope, when your fayth is increased among you, to be magnified accordyng to our measure aboundauntly, 16And that I shall preache the Gospell, in those regions which are beyonde you: and not to glorie of those thynges, which by another mans measure are prepared alredy. 17But let hym that glorieth, glorie in the Lorde. 18For he that prayseth hymselfe, is not alowed, but whom the Lorde prayseth.