Boast: see 5.12; 7.14; 9.2, where the same verb is used. It is repeated many times in the remainder of the next two chapters.

A little too much: the idea is that of slight overstatement or exaggeration. Moffatt speaks of boasting “somewhat freely.” Some languages have unusual ways of communicating this thought. For example, the use of a verb meaning “surpass” or “excel” will convey the idea in certain cases. In this context one may say “to excel in boasting” or something similar.

The Lord here and in 13.10 is probably Christ rather than God, since Paul claims to be speaking for Christ (12.19; 13.3).

For building you up means in this context “to build your faith” (Revised English Bible). For destroying you is not to be taken in a literal physical sense but in the sense of destroying their faith. See 13.10, where the same words occur.

Be put to shame: this notion is very frequent in the Old Testament (especially in the Psalms) and also occurs elsewhere in Paul’s writings (Rom 9.33; 10.11). Since it is passive in form, many languages will require an active formulation. New Revised Standard Version retranslates “I will not be ashamed of it” referring back to the idea of boasting earlier in the verse. New American Bible has “this will not embarrass me in the least.” Some may need to restructure the whole verse along the lines of Good News Translation or in some other way. The following is another possible model: “Even though I have been boasting too much about the authority that the Lord gave us, I feel no shame [about it]. The reason he gave me this authority is not to destroy you but so that you could be strengthened.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .