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2 Corinthians 10
New English Translation

Paul’s Authority from the Lord

10 Now I, Paul, appeal to you[a] personally[b] by the meekness and gentleness[c] of Christ (I who am meek[d] when present among[e] you, but am full of courage[f] toward you when away!)— 2 now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving[g] according to human standards.[h] 3 For though we live[i] as human beings,[j] we do not wage war according to human standards,[k] 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons,[l] but are made powerful by God[m] for tearing down strongholds.[n] We tear down arguments[o] 5 and every arrogant obstacle[p] that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey[q] Christ. 6 We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience,[r] whenever your obedience is complete. 7 You are looking at outward appearances.[s] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we. 8 For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us[t] for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.[u] 9 I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters, 10 because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak[v] and his speech is of no account.”[w] 11 Let such a person consider this: What we say[x] by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.

Paul’s Mission

12 For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.[y] 13 But we will not boast beyond certain limits,[z] but will confine our boasting[aa] according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us,[ab] that reaches even as far as you. 14 For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.[ac] 15 Nor do we boast beyond certain limits[ad] in the work[ae] done by others, but we hope[af] that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded[ag] among you according to our limits,[ah] 16 so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area. 17 But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.[ai] 18 For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.
  3. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “leniency and clemency.” D. Walker, “Paul’s Offer of Leniency of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1): Populist Ideology and Rhetoric in a Pauline Letter Fragment (2 Cor 10:1-13:10)” (Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 1998), argues for this alternative translation for three main reasons: (1) When the two Greek nouns πραΰτης and ἐπιείκεια (prautēs and epieikeia) are used together, 90% of the time the nuance is “leniency and clemency.” (2) “Leniency and clemency” has a military connotation, which is precisely what appears in the following verses. (3) 2 Cor 10-13 speaks of Paul’s sparing use of his authority, which points to the nuance of “leniency and clemency.”
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “who lack confidence.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “when face-to-face with.”
  6. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “but bold.”
  7. 2 Corinthians 10:2 tn Grk “consider us as walking.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 10:2 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “we walk.”
  10. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “in the flesh.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
  12. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Grk “are not fleshly [weapons].” The repetition of the word “warfare” does not occur in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.
  13. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Or “but (are) divinely powerful,” “but they have divine power,” or “but are powerful for God’s [service]”; Grk “but are powerful to God.”
  14. 2 Corinthians 10:4 sn Ultimately Paul is referring here to the false arguments of his opponents, calling them figuratively “strongholds.” This Greek word (ὀχύρωμα, ochurōma) is used only here in the NT.
  15. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Or “speculations.”
  16. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tn The phrase “every arrogant obstacle” could be translated simply “all arrogance” (so L&N 88.207).
  17. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tn Grk “to the obedience of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Christou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “to make it obey Christ.”
  18. 2 Corinthians 10:6 tn Or “punish all disobedience.”
  19. 2 Corinthians 10:7 tn The phrase is close to a recognized idiom for judging based on outward appearances (L&N 30.120). Some translators see a distinction, however, and translate 2 Cor 10:7a as “Look at what is in front of your eyes,” that is, the obvious facts of the case (so NRSV).
  20. 2 Corinthians 10:8 tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Indirect objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, and must be supplied for the modern English reader.
  21. 2 Corinthians 10:8 tn Grk “I will not be put to shame,” “I will not be ashamed.” The words “of doing so” are supplied to clarify for the reader that Paul will not be ashamed of boasting somewhat more about the authority the Lord gave him (beginning of v. 8).
  22. 2 Corinthians 10:10 tn Or “unimpressive.”
  23. 2 Corinthians 10:10 tn Or “is contemptible”; Grk “is despised.”
  24. 2 Corinthians 10:11 tn Grk “what we are in word.”
  25. 2 Corinthians 10:12 tn Or “they are unintelligent.”
  26. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (eis ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).
  27. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn The words “will confine our boasting” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to boasting must be repeated from the previous clause to clarify for the modern reader what is being limited.
  28. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn Grk “according to the measure of the rule which God has apportioned to us as a measure”; for the translation used in the text see L&N 37.100.
  29. 2 Corinthians 10:14 tn Grk “with the gospel of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Christou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “with the gospel about Christ.”
  30. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (eis ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).
  31. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “in the labors.”
  32. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Grk “but we have the hope.”
  33. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “greatly enlarged.”
  34. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn That is, Paul’s work might be greatly expanded within the area of activity assigned to him by God.
  35. 2 Corinthians 10:17 tn The traditional translation (“let the one who boasts boast in the Lord”) can be understood as merely permissive by the English reader, but the Greek verb καυχάσθω (kauchasthō) is a third person imperative.sn A quotation from Jer 9:24 (also quoted in 1 Cor 1:31).
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2 Corinthians 10
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament

10 Now de I egō, Paul Paulos myself autos, appeal parakaleō to you hymeis by dia the ho meekness prautēs and kai gentleness epieikeia of ho Christ Christos—I who hos when kata present prosōpon am “ timid tapeinos” among en you hymeis, but de when away apeimi am “ bold tharreō” toward eis you hymeis. 2 I ask deomai · de that when I am present pareimi I may not mē have to be “ bold tharreō,” with ho such a confidence pepoithēsis as hos I expect logizomai I will dare tolmaō to use against epi those tis who ho think logizomai that we hēmeis are walking peripateō according kata to the flesh sarx. 3 For gar though we walk peripateō in en the flesh sarx, we are not ou waging war according kata to the flesh sarx, 4 for gar the ho weapons hoplon of ho our hēmeis warfare strateia are not ou of the flesh sarkikos, but alla are empowered dynatos by ho God theos for pros tearing kathairesis down strongholds ochurōma. We tear down kathaireō arguments logismos 5 and kai every pas lofty hypsōma idea that is raised epairō against kata the ho knowledge gnōsis of ho God theos, and kai we take captive aichmalōtizō every pas thought noēma to eis make it · ho obey hypakoē · ho Christ Christos. 6 And kai we are echō ready en hetoimos to avenge ekdikeō every pas act of disobedience parakoē, whenever hotan your hymeis obedience hypakoē becomes complete plēroō. · ho

7 You are looking blepō · ho at kata outward prosōpon appearances . If ei anyone tis has persuaded peithō himself heautou that he belongs eimi to Christ Christos, he should remind logizomai himself epi heautou that hoti just as kathōs he autos belongs to Christ Christos, so houtōs also kai do we hēmeis. 8 For gar even te if ean I boast about kauchaomai it tis, and more than that perissoteros, about peri the ho authority exousia which hos the ho Lord kyrios gave didōmi us hēmeis for eis building oikodomē you up and kai not ou for eis tearing kathairesis you hymeis down, I will not ou be ashamed. 9 I do not mē want to hina seem dokeō as hōs though I am trying to frighten ekphobeō you hymeis with dia my ho letters epistolē. 10 For hoti some are saying phēmi, “ His ho letters epistolē are weighty barys and kai forceful ischuros, but de his ho physical sōma presence parousia · ho is weak asthenēs, and kai his ho rhetoric logos amounts to nothing exoutheneō.” 11 Let logizomai such a person toioutos consider logizomai this houtos, · ho that hoti what hoios we are eimi in ho word logos through dia letters epistolē when absent apeimi, such toioutos we also kai are in ho act ergon when present pareimi. 12 For gar we would not ou dare tolmaō to classify enkrinō or ē compare synkrinō ourselves heautou with some tis of those ho who are recommending synistēmi themselves heautou. Rather alla, when metreō they autos measure metreō themselves heautou by en themselves heautou and kai compare synkrinō themselves heautou by themselves heautou, they are without ou understanding syniēmi. 13 We hēmeis, however de, will kauchaomai not ou boast kauchaomai beyond eis · ho proper ametros limits , but alla only within kata the ho measure metron of the ho sphere kanōn of action which hos God theos has assigned merizō to us hēmeis · ho as a measure metron, extending ephikneomai even kai as far as achri you hymeis. 14 For gar it is not ou as hōs though we had not mē come ephikneomai to eis you hymeis, over-reaching hyperekteinō ourselves heautou, for gar we did come phthanō even kai as far as achri you hymeis with en the ho gospel euangelion of ho Christ Christos. 15 We will not ou go beyond eis · ho proper limits ametros by boasting kauchaomai in en the labors kopos of others allotrios, but de we have echō hope elpis that as your hymeis faith pistis continues to grow auxanō, · ho our hēmeis area of activity kanōn among en you hymeis will be greatly eis enlarged megalynō, · ho 16 so that eis we may preach the gospel euangelizō in places ho beyond hyperekeina you hymeis, not ou boasting about kauchaomai the work already eis done in en another allotrios person’ s territory kanōn. · ho 17 But rather de, “ Let kauchaomai the ho one who boasts kauchaomai, boast kauchaomai in en the Lord kyrios.” 18 For gar it is not ou the ho one who recommends synistēmi himself heautou who ekeinos is eimi approved dokimos, but alla the one whom hos the ho Lord kyrios recommends synistēmi.

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