Paul's Defense of His Ministry

101 But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, [when present] [am] mean among you, but absent am bold towards you; 2 but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh. 3 For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. 4 For the arms of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful according to God to [the] overthrow of strongholds; 5 overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ; 6 and having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.

7 Do ye look at what concerns appearance? If any one has confidence in himself that he is of Christ, let him think this again in himself, that even as he [is] of Christ, so also [are] we. 8 For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given [to us] for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame; 9 that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters: 10 because his letters, he says, [are] weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught. 11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters [when] absent, such also present in deed.

12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent. 13 Now we will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also. 14 For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings of the Christ;) 15 not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly 16 to announce the glad tidings to that [which is] beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand. 17 But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. 18 For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Ministers of the New Covenant

31 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you? 2 Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men, 3 being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart. 4 And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God: 5 not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God;

6 who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens. 7 (But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled; 8 how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory. 10 For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory. 11 For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.

12 Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness: 13 and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled. 14 But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled. 15 But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart. 16 But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty. 18 But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.