Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am humble among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to boast on our behalf, that you may have something to answer them who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

But all their works they do to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

And he said unto them, You are they who justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

And if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's descendants, and heirs according to the promise.

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to boast on our behalf, that you may have something to answer them who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will boast also.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes beyond measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you: for in nothing am I behind the very chief apostles, though I be nothing.

Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who toward you is not weak, but is mighty in you.

Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you my work in the Lord?

But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

For you have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

To whom we yielded in subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision.

We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.