Scrutatio

Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

2 Corinthians 10


font
NEW JERUSALEMDOUAI-RHEIMS
1 I urge you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ -- this is Paul now speaking personal y-I, theone who is so humble when he is facing you but ful of boldness at a distance.1 Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent, am bold toward you.
2 Yes, my appeal to you is that I should not have to be bold when I am actual y with you, or show thesame self-assurance as I reckon to use when I am chal enging those who reckon that we are guided by humanmotives.2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold, against some, who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For although we are human, it is not by human methods that we do battle.3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 The weapons with which we do battle are not those of human nature, but they have the power, inGod's cause, to demolish fortresses. It is ideas that we demolish,4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,
5 every presumptuous notion that is set up against the knowledge of God, and we bring every thoughtinto captivity and obedience to Christ;5 And every height that exhalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ;
6 once you have given your complete obedience, we are prepared to punish any disobedience.6 And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.
7 Look at the evidence of your eyes. Anybody who is convinced that he belongs to Christ should go onto reflect that we belong to Christ no less than he does.7 See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ's, let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ's, so are we also.
8 Maybe I have taken rather too much pride in our authority, but the Lord gave us that for building youup, not for knocking you down, and I am not going to be shamed8 For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.
9 into letting you think that I can put fear into you only by letter.9 But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
10 Someone said, 'His letters are weighty enough, and ful of strength, but when you see him in person,he makes no impression and his powers of speaking are negligible.'10 (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible,)
11 I should like that sort of person to take note that our deeds when we are present wil show the samequalities as our letters when we were at a distance.11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles, when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.
12 We are not venturing to rank ourselves, or even to compare ourselves with certain people whoprovide their own commendations. By measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves tothemselves, they only show their fol y.12 For we dare not match, or compare ourselves with some, that commend themselves; but we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves.
13 By contrast we do not intend to boast beyond measure, but wil measure ourselves by the standardwhich God laid down for us, namely that of having come al the way to you.13 But we will not glory beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 We are not overreaching ourselves as we would be if we had not come all the way to you; in fact wewere the first to come as far as you with the good news of Christ.14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the gospel of Christ.
15 So we are not boasting beyond measure, about other men's work; in fact, we hope, as your faithincreases, to grow greater and greater by this standard of ours,15 Not glorying beyond measure in other men's labours; but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly;
16 by preaching the gospel to regions beyond you, rather than boasting about work already done insomeone else's province.16 Yea, unto those places that are beyond you, to preach the gospel, not to glory in another man's rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.
17 Let anyone who wants to boast, boast of the Lord.17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For it is not through self-commendation that recognition is won, but through commendation.18 For not he who commendeth himself, is approved, but he, whom God commendeth.