2 Corinthians 10:10

2 Corinthians 10:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
• New International Version (NIV)For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:10

8For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame. 9I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak and his public speaking amounts to nothing.” 11Let such a person consider this: What we are in our letters, when we are absent, we will also be in our actions when we are present. 12For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

2 Corinthians 10:10 word by word

ὅτι αἱ ἐπιστολαὶ μέν φησιν βαρεῖαι καὶ ἰσχυραί, ἡ δὲ παρουσία τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενὴς καὶ ὁ λόγος ἐξουθενημένος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• lettersἐπιστολήepistolē · epistleG1992
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• say theyφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• weightyβαρύςbarus · weightyG926
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• powerfulἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
• butδέde · thenG1161
• bodilyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• presenceπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
• weakἀσθενήςasthenēs · weakG772
• speechλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• contemptibleἐξουθενέωexoutheneō · to rejectG1848

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 10:10

• 2 Corinthians 10:11Let such a person consider this: What we are in our letters, when we are absent, we will also be in our actions when we are present.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, myself, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent.
• 2 Corinthians 12:5I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
• Galatians 4:13you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a weakness of the flesh.
• 2 Corinthians 11:6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything.
• Exodus 4:10But Moses replied to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent — either in the past or recently or since you have been speaking to your servant — because my mouth and my tongue are sluggish.”
• Jeremiah 1:6But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful - He boasts of high powers, and that he can do great things. See on 2 Corinthians 10:1-2; (note). But his bodily presence is weak - When you behold the man, you find him a feeble, contemptible mortal; and when ye hear him speak, his speech, ̔ , probably, his doctrine, , is good for nothing; his person, matter, and manner, are altogether uninteresting, unimpressive, and too contemptible to be valued by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For his letters - The letters which he has sent to the church when absent. Reference is had here probably to the First Epistle to the Corinthians. They might also have seen some of Paul‘s other epistles, and been so well acquainted with them as to he able to make the general remark that he had the power of writing in an authoritative and impressive manner. Say they - Margin, “Said he.” Greek ( ̀ phēsin) in the singular. This seems to have referred to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-11Verses 7-11 In outward appearance, Paul was mean and despised in the eyes of some, but this was a false rule to judge by. We must not think that none outward appearance, as if the want of such things proved a man not to be a real Christian, or an able, faithful minister of the lowly Saviour.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Paul’s letters can be difficult and demanding, as other Christians also noticed (compare 2 Peter 3:16). his physical presence is unimpressive: Paul did not have an overpowering presence that forced people to obey (compare 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 2:1–5). The earliest descriptions of Paul’s appearance (Acts of Paul and Thecla, around AD 200) describe him as "a man of small height, almost bald, with crooked legs, but with a good body and eyebrows…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. letters--implying that there had been already more letters of Paul received by the Corinthians than the one we have, namely, First Corinthians; and that they contained strong reproofs. say they--Greek, "says one," "such a one" (2Co 10:11) seems to point to some definite individual. Compare Ga 5:10; a similar slanderer was in the Galatian Church. weak--(2Co 12:7; 1Co 2:3). There was nothing of majesty or authority in his manner; he bore himself…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 10:10

• Church
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Approved
• Beseech
• Captivity
• Measure
• Thorn in the flesh
• Walk
• Warfare
• Weapon
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Epistle

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings