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2 Corinthians 10:14-16

For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ, not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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2 Corinthians 10:14-16 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full. Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s. For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed, that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters. For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.” Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you. For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ, not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done. But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

    not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

    so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    For we stretche uot out oure selves beyode measure as though we had not reached vnto you. For even vnto you have we come with the gospell of Christ

    and we bost not oure selves out of measure in other mens labours. Ye and we hope when youre fayth is increased amonge you to be magnified acordynge to oure measure more largely

    and to preache the gospell in those regions which are beyode you: and not to reioyce of that which is by another mans measure prepared all redy.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    For we stretche not our selues beyonde our measure, as though wee had not attained vnto you: for euen to you also haue we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

    Not boasting of things which are without our measure: that is, of other mens labours: and we hope, when your faith shall increase, to bee magnified by you according to our line aboundantly,

    And to preache the Gospel in those regions which are beyonde you: not to reioyce in another mans line, that is, in the thinges that are prepared alreadie.

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Cross-references (23)

  • Romans 15:20 (v15) yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (v15) We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love…
  • 2 Corinthians 10:13 (v15) But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.
  • Acts 5:13 (v15) None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.
  • Romans 1:16 (v14) For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first,…
Show all 23 cross-references
  • Romans 15:24-28 (v16) whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I…
  • Acts 19:21 (v16) Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem,…
  • 1 Corinthians 4:15 (v14) For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good…
  • 1 Timothy 1:11 (v14) according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
  • Mark 1:1 (v14) The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
  • Acts 20:24 (v14) But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I…
  • Romans 2:16 (v14) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.
  • Romans 15:18-19 (v14) For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and…
  • 1 Corinthians 2:10 (v14) But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
  • 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 (v14) Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered.…
  • 1 Corinthians 9:1-2 (v14) Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an…
  • 2 Corinthians 2:12 (v14) Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
  • 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (v14) Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter,…
  • 2 Corinthians 4:4 (v14) in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the…
  • Galatians 1:6-8 (v14) I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”, but there isn’t another…
  • Colossians 1:5 (v14) because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News
  • Romans 16:25 (v14)
  • 1 Corinthians 3:10 (v14) According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (19 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv14–15 14. For we do not overstretch. He alludes to…

14. For we do not overstretch. He alludes to persons who either forcibly stretch out their arms, or raise themselves up on their feet, when wishing to catch hold of what is not at their hand, for of this nature is a greedy thirst for glory, nay more, it is often more disgusting. For ambitious persons do not merely stretch out their arms and lift up their feet, but are even carried headlong with the view of obtaining some pretext for glorying. He tacitly intimates that his rivals were of this stamp. He afterwards declares on what ground he had come to the Corinthians — because he had founded their church by his ministry. Hence he says, in the gospel of Christ; for he had not come to them empty, but had been the first to bring the gospel to them. The preposition in is taken by some in another way; for they render it, by the gospel, and this meaning does not suit ill. At the same time, Paul seems to set off to advantage his coming to the Corinthians, on the ground of his having been furnished with so precious a gift.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv15–16 As though God had divided the whole world among…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv14–16 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure,…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv14–16 For in our boasting of you as our converts,…
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On v15 Here the apostle tells the Corinthians, that he would…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv14–15 To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you,....…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv14–16 We are come even to you - By a…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv14–16 Verse 14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond] We…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v14 2Co 10:14-16. We stretch not, &c. — In preaching…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv14–16 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure -…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv15–16 In these three following chapters, St. Paul, for the…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv14–16 "We are not stretching ourselves beyond our measure, as…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv14–16 14. Stretch—Rather, overstretch. We do not overstretch in coming…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv14–16 14. For we stretch not] The meaning is, For…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv14–16 (14) For we stretch not ourselves . . .…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv14–16 As though we reached not unto you. In including…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv14–16 14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure.…
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv14–16 For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v15 have not boasted beyond limits
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