¹⁸ Seeing that there are those who take credit to themselves after the flesh, I will do the same.

²³ This is the word of the Lord: Let not the wise man take pride in his wisdom, or the strong man in his strength, or the man of wealth in his wealth:

²⁴ But if any man has pride, let it be in this, that he has the wisdom to have knowledge of me, that I am the Lord, working mercy, giving true decisions, and doing righteousness in the earth: for in these things I have delight, says the Lord.

³ For we are the circumcision, who give worship to God and have glory in Jesus Christ, and have no faith in the flesh:

⁴ Even though I myself might have faith in the flesh: if any other man has reason to have faith in the flesh, I have more:

¹¹ I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.

⁹ And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may be on me.

⁵ On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.

⁶ For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me to be, or has word from me that I am.

²¹ I say this by way of shaming ourselves, as if we had been feeble. But if anyone puts himself forward (I am talking like a foolish person), I will do the same.

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

²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons, of blows more than measure, of death.

¹² But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we are.

¹² For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.

¹³ We will not give glory to ourselves in over-great measure, but after the measure of the rule which God has given us, a measure which comes even to you.

¹⁴ For we have no need to make ourselves seem more than we are, as if our authority did not come as far as to you: for we came even as far as you with the good news of Christ:

¹⁵ Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for an increase which is the effect of our work,

¹⁶ So that we may be able to go on and take the good news to countries still farther away than you are, and not take credit for another man's work in making things ready to our hand.

¹⁷ But whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord.

¹⁸ For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his opinion of himself, but on the Lord's opinion of him.

¹⁰ We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame.

²⁴ For it is said, All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass becomes dry and the flower dead: