Let sucha personconsiderthis,that whatwe are in wordby letterswhen absent,such persons[we are] alsoin deedwhen present.
For they say,"His lettersare weightyand strong,but his personalpresenceis unimpressiveand his speechcontemptible."
For we are not boldto classorcompareourselveswith someof thosewho commendthemselves;but when they measurethemselvesby themselvesand comparethemselveswith themselves,they are withoutunderstanding.
For I am afraidthat perhapswhen I comeI may findyou to be not whatI wishand may be foundby you to be not whatyou wish;that perhaps[there will be] strife,jealousy,angry tempers,disputes,slanders,gossip,arrogance,disturbances;
For thisreasonI am writingthese thingswhile absent,sothat when presentI [need] not useseverity,in accordancewith the authoritywhichthe Lordgaveme for buildingup and not for tearing down.
