²¹ I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

¹⁰ For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.

¹ Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:

² yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

¹⁷ That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.

²² Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.

²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty `stripes' save one.

²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep;

²⁶ `in' journeyings often, `in' perils of rivers, `in' perils of robbers, `in' perils from `my' countrymen, `in' perils from the Gentiles, `in' perils in the city, `in' perils in the wilderness, `in' perils in the sea, `in' perils among false brethren;

²⁷ `in' labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

¹⁰ For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.

³ for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:

⁴ though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:

⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶ as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.