1 Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
2 I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
3 For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4 The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.