For they say,"His lettersare weightyand strong,but his personalpresenceis unimpressiveand his speechcontemptible."
For Christdid not sendme to baptize,but to preach the gospel,not in clevernessof speech,sothat the crossof Christwould not be made void.
But evenifI am unskilledin speech,yetI am not [so] in knowledge;in fact,in everywaywe have made [this] evidentto you in all things.
Then Mosessaidto the LORD,"Please,Lord,I have neverbeen eloquent,neitherrecentlynorin timepast,norsinceYou have spokento Your servant;for I am slowof speechand slowof tongue."
NowI, Paul,myselfurgeyou by the meeknessand gentlenessof Christ--I whoam meekwhen face to facewith you, but boldtowardyou when absent!
For sincein the wisdomof Godthe worldthroughits wisdomdid not [come to] knowGod,Godwas well-pleasedthroughthe foolishnessof the message preachedto savethosewho believe.
Then I said,"Alas,LordGOD!Behold,I do not knowhow to speak,BecauseI am a youth."
for I do not wish to seemas ifI would terrifyyou by my letters.
Let sucha personconsiderthis,that whatwe are in wordby letterswhen absent,such persons[we are] alsoin deedwhen present.
To [my] shameI [must] saythat we have been weak[by comparison]. But in whateverrespect anyone[else] is bold--I speakin foolishness--I amjustas boldmyself.
sinceyou are seekingfor proofof the Christwho speaksin me, and whois not weaktowardyou, but mightyin you.