8 Perhaps I boast a little too much about the authority that the Lord gave me to help you and not to hurt you. Yet I am not embarrassed to boast.
9 And I am not trying to scare you with my letters.
10 Some of you are saying, “Paul's letters are harsh and powerful. But in person, he is a weakling and has nothing worth saying.”
11 Those people had better understand that when I am with you, I will do exactly what I say in my letters.
12 We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves.
13 We won't boast about something we don't have a right to boast about. We will only boast about the work that God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work.
14 We are not boasting more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.