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

8You may think that I am too proud of my authority. But it is the Lord who has given that authority to us apostles. We have that authority so that we can help you become stronger as believers. We do not have it so that we can destroy you! So I am not ashamed to be proud of this. 9When I write letters to you, I am not trying to frighten you. Please do not think that. Some people say: ‘Paul's letters are powerful and they say strong things. But when he himself is here with us, he seems to be weak. And the words that he speaks have no value.’ 11Anyone who says things like that should understand this: There is no difference between what we write and what we do. When we come to you, we will do what we have written in our letters. 12Some people praise themselves. They say how clever they are. But we could never do that. We could not even try to be like those people. But they do not understand anything. They decide among themselves how good they are. They look at one another to see if they are better or worse.

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 10:11Anyone who says things like that should understand this: There is no difference between what we write and what we do. When we come to you, we will do what we have written in our letters.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1I, Paul, need to ask you something. Perhaps you think that I am only humble when I am present there with you. You think that I only speak strongly to you when I am far away! Now I am away from you. But I am still humble and kind, like Christ is.
• 2 Corinthians 12:5I will say proud things about a man like that. But I will not be proud of anything good about myself. I will only be proud of things that show my weakness.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I lived among you as someone who felt weak. I was very afraid.
• Galatians 4:13You must remember that I first came to you because I was ill. That was when I first told God's good news to you.
• 2 Corinthians 11:6Perhaps I do not speak as well as they speak. But I do know what I am speaking about. We have always made this very clear to you in everything that we do.
• Exodus 4:10Then Moses said to the Lord, ‘My Lord, I cannot speak well. I speak slowly and I speak with difficulty. I never could speak well. And even now, when you have spoken to me, I still cannot speak well.’
• Jeremiah 1:6I answered, ‘Lord God, I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.’
• 1 Corinthians 1:17Christ did not send me to baptize people. But he did send me to tell God's good news to people. When I speak his message, I do not use clever words. It is Christ's death on the cross that has power to save people. I do not want to spoil that power with clever words.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1Christian friends, I came to tell you God's true message. I did not use clever words when I spoke to you. I did not try to make you think that I was very wise.

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