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Paul Defends His Authority

10 Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away. Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives.

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. [a]We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:4 English translations divide verses 4 and 5 in various ways.

Paul Confronts the Corinthians

10 Now (A)I, Paul, myself (B)urge you by the (C)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who (D)am [a]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that (E)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against (F)some, who regard us as if we walked (G)according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle (H)according to the flesh, for the (I)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but [b]divinely powerful (J)for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying arguments and all (K)arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the (L)obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever (M)your obedience is complete.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:1 Lit lowly
  2. 2 Corinthians 10:4 Or mighty before God